A Worldview can be described as “the basic way of interpreting things and events that pervades a culture so thoroughly that it becomes a culture's concept of reality — what is good, what is important, what is sacred, what is real. Worldview is more than culture, even though the distinction between the two can sometimes be subtle. It extends to perceptions of time and space, of happiness and well-being. The beliefs, values, and behaviors of a culture stem directly from its worldview.“
What is a Worldview?
“A worldview is a theory of the world . . . . a mental model of reality — a framework of ideas and attitudes about the world, ourselves, and life, a comprehensive system of beliefs” that helps us function in the world by providing us with answers to a range of questions:
What are humans? Why we are here? What is our purpose in life?
What can we know? How do we know? How can we be certain that we know? What is the nature of reality?
What is a Worldview?
“The personal insight comprising a worldview will encompass notions of the existence or nonexistence of the supernatural and a deity or deities; the origins of the universe and of human life; the source of morality and values and identification of what is good or evil; how to live one’s life; the meaning of life and of death; and so on.”
What is a Worldview?
“Generally, groups of people hold very similar worldviews which bind them together and help them to shape the culture in which they live. The worldview is a corporate system which everyone in the culture holds as a basic premise for life. Our thinking about what is beautiful or ugly, moral or immoral, good or evil, prudent or inappropriate grows out of an identifiable worldview. These are the roots that hold our lives in some kind of consistent pattern and thought. Just as a tree or flower needs roots to help it stand up and be healthy, we all have a worldview holding up our lifestyles.”
Where does a worldview come from?
“Our worldviews come from many places. Some parts are specifically taught to us and some of them we have soaked up or passively assumed from our society. Others we have formulated ourselves through our own experience—whether good or bad—to answer these questions. In any case, these ideas all together form a worldview.”
You will recognize them by their fruits.
“A worldview is the root, the beginning point, the source from which a person's thoughts, actions, beliefs, loves, hates and feelings grow.”
“A tree comes up from the roots. The place where the tree gets food, the system for all its life, growth, and the strength by which it stands is buried under ground where we can't see it. The same is true of people. All of our thoughts, ideals, actions and beliefs come from a fundamental system which feeds them.”
