Worldview

Worldview, Identity, and Definitions

In the interest of understanding the conceptual frameworks of this discussion, operant definitions of worldview and identity must be established. A beginning point for the establishment of such definitions can be found in religious philosophy. Religion in this context is broadly and universally defined as the attention paid to the existence of metaphysical forces. And it is to this word self that religion, again in its broadest and most universal aspects, addresses itself. Believers in these metaphysical forces are assured that to know oneself is indeed a prime directive. The self, as commonly defined in religious terms, refers to the essence of the human being. The study of self, as defined in this way, can be seen as part of the science of hermeneutics. For the quest for identity is indeed universal and subject to interpretation, oftentimes in terms of morality, values, and distinctions between the black and white philosophical poles of right and wrong. These subjects, of course, are the major axes along which religious thought is promulgated.

A survey of various dictionary definitions of self leads to the concepts of intention, knowledge, and cultural norms. As one unpacks these definitions, one learns that the self is essentially a singular, inner awareness of the human being. The self connects with the world, forming a singularly individual worldview, through its interpretation of its existence within a particular time frame, a discreet era in history. These periods or ages of human history (time) are characterized by unique circumstances of existence of specific cultural, philosophical, or religious mores. The self may even be projected onto the world stage in a futuristic way as is depicted in the popularity of science fiction. In summary, worldview meets identity in the focusing of the lens through which one envisions [Page 897]the world. Worldview is an aggregate set of values, an individual prism for interpreting reality. It is the outcome of thinking about the way things were, the way things are, or the way things could or should be.

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