Naming the Elephant: The Last two chapters

Sire’s Definition for Worldview A definition for worldview proposed by Sire in Chapter one was this: A worldview is a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or inconsistently) about the basic makeup of our world. (pg19)

Chapter before 7 In subsequent chapters, Sire tries to expound on this definition by using the worldview notions developed by a number of different thinkers Secular (Ex. Dilthey, Nietzche, Wittgenstein, Foucault) and Christian (ex. Orr, Kuyper, Dooyeweerd) thinkers hold different presuppositions about what is real. (Chapter 2) These pretheoretical (bone) concepts coexist with presuppositional (flesh) concepts and become a foundation for theoretical concepts. (Chapter 4)

Epistemology (with the influence of Enlightenment) is an attempt to explain how we know what is real through the means of reason. Sire insists that one cannot get to ultimate reality (ontology) through reason (epistemology) because what you believe to be true is at best a human construct. Therefore, ontology should always come before epistemology (Chapter 3)

Enlightenment Reasoning Everything that is can be known through reason. Therefore: Nothing that cannot be known through reason can be.

Worldview as a story Sire makes an important point that as much as a worldview is a set of beliefs one holds about what is really real, it certainly is more than a set of statements. He argues that it is the way of life and it is couched in a story. Who you are and how you live say more about your worldview than what you claim it to be. (Chapter 5)

Worldview: A Refined Definition Chapter 7 Worldview: A Refined Definition

Definition Revisited In chapter 7, Sire revisits his earlier definition of worldview to make it more comprehensive. A worldview is a commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart, that can be expressed as a story or in a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or inconsistently) about the basic constitution of reality, and that provides the foundation on which we live and move and have our being.

Worldview as commitment (1) What worldview is not fundamentally: a set of propositions a matter of intellect a matter of language (2) What Worldview really is: It involves them all but essentially lies deeply in the inner self a matter of the soul spiritual orientation or disposition

Worldview as a fundamental orientation of heart We often think of heart as a seat of emotions and emotions alone. But in biblical perspective, the heart is “the central operating chamber of every human being. It is from this heart that all one’s thoughts and actions proceed“ (pg 124). In this perspective, hearts includes mind, will, desires, spirituality and emotion. See Proverbs 4:23

Expressed as a story or in a set of presuppositions Worldview is NOT a story or presuppositions BUT it can be EXPRESSED in them. Each worldview can be expressed in a master story Naturalism: big bang, evolution, formation of galaxies, appearance and disappearance of Christianity: the creation, the fall, redemption make up a master story We each live a life that is a chapter of the master story

Assumptions which may be true   The presuppositions that express one’s commitments may be true, partially true or entirely false. For Christians, the fact that there is God is entirely true. However, they are limited to grasp all the concepts of God (trinity, omniscient, eternal..) fully nor accurately. Sire suspects that “we can be only partially true about most things that are possible for us to know...It is best to acknowledge that all our presuppositions are limited in their accuracy.” (129-130)

Presuppositions which we hold consciously or unconsciously Though we think with our worldview, we don’t always think about our worldview. A large portion of our worldview is held unconsciously

Presuppositions which are consistent or inconsistent We often hold contradicting ideas without noticing them Ex. A Christian believing in re-incarnation Ex. A naturalist believing in a possibility of life after death

Provides the foundation on which we live Our worldview is not precisely what we may state it to be. It is what is actualized in our behavior. We live our worldview or it isn’t our worldview. (pg. 133)

Why redefine? (1) The main contribution is the shift it makes from propositions and stories to the heart that holds them. By doing so, we respect the depth of its roots in each person and avoid simple arguments or over glorifying temporal change of mind. (2) The lived-out character will be emphasized more than statements one makes about his/her worldview (3) “Because the mainstay of one’s worldview is ontological, a commitment to a specific notion of fundamental reality, we will take a person’s notion of God or nature or themselves to be the most important aspect of their character.” 135

Chapter 8: Worldview as a tool for Analysis Why study worldview? Worldview can be a tool of analysis Chapter 8: Worldview as a tool for Analysis

(1) Self analysis: Naming your own elephant It helps you know where you stand: what you think you believe about the really real and what your life tells you about your worldview It allows you to live an examined life: involves examining your intellectual and emotional changes and developments “An unexamined life is not worth living.” ~Socrates

(2) Analysis of the worldviews of others It helps us to know and understand where others stand Reading someone’s worldview essay helps us to understand the thoughts of that particular individual. Other writings completed by that person, how he/she spends her day, what he/she enjoys reading can increase our knowledge of that person.

(2) Analysis of the worldviews of others Worldview analysis encourages us to look beyond a superficial reading. EX. Matsuo Basho (a late 17th century poet) An ancient pond A frog leaps in The sound of water

(2) Analysis of the worldviews of others Basho was a Zen Buddhist priest with a Zen mind. At the heart of Zen mind is a Zen moment, a concentration of attention on a chronologically dimensionless present. Past, present and future meet at a timeless point. There is consciousness but it is always changing. Nothing is permanent. The only thing that is permanent is Void. These notions are reflected in his poem. The “ancient pond” carries the past to present; the “sound of water” is not vivified like “plop” or “bloop” since there is no sound when past and present intersect. Sound is basically a vibration and it takes time. Therefore there is no sound.

(3) Cultural analysis Sire believes that it is extremely helpful to have a basic understanding of the major worldviews present today. Every book, movie, TV show, and newspaper article are written from a worldview whether it was made obvious to us or not. We need to be critical of the information we are getting from the media by looking beyond its manifested storyline and getting to the worldview which undergirds the storyline.

(4) Academic Analysis: Worldview in an academic setting Here are some assumptions all academic disciplines, including science hold: (pgs. 156-157) Orderliness of universe: “If the universe is not law-like in its operations, no theories can be tested even if they were able to be formulated.” Reliability on the capacity of the scholar: “The mind is assumed to be able to understand what it investigates.” Contingency of the universe: “The universe does not have to be the way it is. It could have been otherwise.”

(4) Academic Analysis: Worldview in an academic setting These assumptions are accepted by all working scientists and they do not notice that these assumptions are not self-evident. Also, the first assumption, the notion of orderliness of universe, actually comes from Christian worldview---The universe is orderly because an omniscient and omnipotent God who has created and keeps the universe in such way.

(4) Academic Analysis: Worldview in an academic setting Methodological naturalists: “Many Christian scientists believe that as far as science is concerned, they do not need the notion of God. Science deals with natural explanations of natural phenomena. There may be other explanations, but they belong in philosophy or theology or history or psychology or sociology.” (158) Methodological naturalistic approach was most popular amongst the Christians in the field of science until recently when it is being challenged by scientists and philosophers who argue for design science.

Elephant all the way down “A worldview is a commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart, that can be expressed as a story or in a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or inconsistently) about the basic constitution of reality, and that provides the foundation on which we live and move and have our being.”

Sire knows that this worldview definition will not solve all the problems presented to us by our differences, but hopes that this helps us to make sense out of all the problems we face. Who holds up the world? “It is Elephant all the way down” the father said. What is the name of that Elephant for you? Christians should say, “The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Elephant.” “God is the name of the Elephant.”