Worldviews Test #1 Review

Allegory of the Cave

Plato uses the cave to symbolize how human beings live in the world, contrasting reality versus our interpretation of it. He talks about the prisoners and how all they know is what is inside the cave. When one breaks free and experiences the outside world, he comes back with a whole new perspective. The other prisoners still believe that the outside world is harmful, though they have not seen it like the freed prisoner did. The allegory demonstrates the conflicts between knowledge and belief and what happens to a person once they have been enlightened.

Summary of Inklings

Trust is something that we have to rely on every day. It also talks about Faith Island and gives the analogy of the inhabitants trusting that what they are doing, eating, drinking is real, safe, and able to work. It talks also about prime reality and how it looks differently for other people.

Worldview definition

a person's way of thinking about and understanding life, which depends on their beliefs and attitudes

Prime Reality

actual reality

Materialism

material world only (hedonism, relativism, nihilism)

Monism

spiritual and material are all the same (New Age)

Theism

spiritual and material exist, but they are separate (Islam, Judaism, Christianity)

Idealism

spiritual world only (hinduism & buddhism)

Subjective vs. Objective

subjective is based on personal feelings and opinions while objective represents facts

Worldview and prayer

the Lord's Prayer talks about how the things we pray for and ask for and the way we address God in prayer is a window into our worldview and how we see the world

Three elements of worldview (from "World of Worldviews")

the explanation, the interpretation, the application

1 Peter 3:15-16a

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."

Seven Questions

1. What is the nature of reality? 2. Who or what is God? 3. What is a human being? What is humanity? 4. What is the basis and standard for morality? 5. What happens to humans at death? 6. What is the meaning and purpose of human history? 7. Why are we here? Where are we going? What is the purpose of human existence? What is the purpose of living for tomorrow?

2 Kings 6

Floating Axehead; about the army of the lord and how the servant was worried but God opened his eyes. Also talks about prime reality through Elisha and how it was different from the servants

Four different worldviews

Idealism, Monism, Materialism, Theism

Worldview origins

Immanuel Kant with the word Weltanschauung

Seven parts of the class Kingdom code

Love, Safety, Respect, Honor, Community, Learning, Joy/Fun

Chesterton - Suicide of Thought

Since everything is based on trust and I have no means to verify anything, I cannot be 100% certain of anything. Therefore, I should not even try to figure out reality. And those who do try are wasting their time because they will never be certain, nor can they convince me of the certitude of anything asserted by either of us. Beyond the lack of certitude lies the abyss of unverifiability.

Two primary elements of reality

Spiritual and Material