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Worldview

nPeace

Veteran Member
What part of your worldview is different from your opinion?
When I have opinions, they are not my worldview.
For example, I think blue and black makes a good combination. That's my opinion. Is it a worldview? No.
Character A : "Hey, that dress looks nice on you."
Character B : "I think not."
Character A : "Well, that's your opinion. I have a different worldview. Say what? o_O opinion sorry. :D

While an opinion can be part and parcel of a worldview. That is, it combines with other opinions, ideas, views... an opinion is not a worldview.
Example...
I think evolution theory .... let me not say the words, lest I invite a whole nest of ants, and derail your thread. :D
That's a view. It's not a worldview.
You now have to understand why I have that view - get in my psyche, so to speak, to get my worldview.
Do I hate science, for example, as some people here assert. Is my view influenced be evidence, or irrational and emotional bias, based on religious beliefs, etc.

Does this help?
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
So value judgments are the main difference?
It's one difference, another is that opinions can form in an instant and change quickly. Ideally a world view is more consistent, thought out and stable. And a worldview is more universal, it's how you view the world. You usually have opinions about smaller things.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
What is a worldview? And is this something that only applies to religious people?
I suspect that many might have the same worldview as the religious, minus the religious bit or opposed to the religious bits that might contradict whatever else they might believe. I probably have a worldview based on the knowledge I have gathered over my life more than much else, and which applies as to how I view human existence, how I view non-human life, how I believe humans should interact, etc., and with this coming from a belief that this has come about naturally from a long history of existence and evolution. Hence for example, I'm less likely to feel a need to explain away any negative bits of reality by some particular beliefs when more natural explanations will usually answer any such related questions.

So this worldview is more based upon spectrums - as to the beliefs of others, their histories, their behaviours, abilities, etc., and where such often results in conflict because of the existence of such spectrums. I suppose one aspect of my worldview is towards removing/softening those things that do tend to cause conflict - and religions being at the top of the list in my view (as to being the least changeable).
 

Kfox

Well-Known Member
My worldview is that of an atheistic humanist. It includes a metaphysics, an epistemology, and a moral system. My metaphysics is how I view what reality is at a fundamental level, which in my case is that reality, nature, and the physical are all synonymous (naturalism), nature is godless (no spirits) and sacred, and that consciousness likely ends with death. My epistemology, or how I decide what is true, is empirical (empiricism). Truth is discovered through experience, and refers to that which can be shown to be true. And my moral system is based in utilitarian ethics for structuring societies (free, tolerant democracies which maximize individual social and economic opportunity) and reciprocation (Golden Rule) in personal interactions. The individual conscience decides what is right and wrong.
Isn't Humanism a non-Deity religion; like Buddhism? I was talking about an example outside religion.
 

Kfox

Well-Known Member
It's called building a strawman.
"Let me see if I can build this strawman, that I can knock down... Ha Ha. Gotcha religious people. Ha!"
A straw man argument is when the person avoids the opponent's actual argument and instead argues against an inaccurate caricature of it.
What did I say to give the impression that I was doing this?
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
What is a worldview? And is this something that only applies to religious people? Isn't Humanism a non-Deity religion; like Buddhism? I was talking about an example outside religion. So is it fair to say everybody's worldview is in a constant state of change? That as long as you are capable of learning, your world view cannot remain the same? Okay; for me for example, that would be my relationship and dealings with my family. I don’t see my family as my religion.
No. It applies to all who think about it. Atheist like myself also have their world view.
Yeah, Buddha never cared to elaborate on it, and Jainism denies existence of God. They have their own world view.
Yeah, as we go on in life, our view changes. But then comes a time when all changes have been made and there is no possibility of any further change, unless something very extraordinary is found. For example, if Big Bang is discarded because of new findings, I will need to change my views.
Dealings about family, society, country and in general about all humans is known to us as our duty ('dharma'). For me, it is independent of religion.
 
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Kfox

Well-Known Member
When I have opinions, they are not my worldview.
For example, I think blue and black makes a good combination. That's my opinion. Is it a worldview? No.
Character A : "Hey, that dress looks nice on you."
Character B : "I think not."
Character A : "Well, that's your opinion. I have a different worldview. Say what? o_O opinion sorry. :D

While an opinion can be part and parcel of a worldview. That is, it combines with other opinions, ideas, views... an opinion is not a worldview.
Example...
I think evolution theory .... let me not say the words, lest I invite a whole nest of ants, and derail your thread. :D
That's a view. It's not a worldview.
You now have to understand why I have that view - get in my psyche, so to speak, to get my worldview.
Do I hate science, for example, as some people here assert. Is my view influenced be evidence, or irrational and emotional bias, based on religious beliefs, etc.

Does this help?
Not all automobiles are cars, but all cars are automobiles.
I was asking for an example of a worldview that is not based on opinion; you gave examples of opinions that are not based on ones worldview
 

Kfox

Well-Known Member
It's one difference, another is that opinions can form in an instant and change quickly. Ideally a world view is more consistent, thought out and stable. And a worldview is more universal, it's how you view the world. You usually have opinions about smaller things.
Aren't world views in a constant state of change? Ex. Today I may have no problem with Gay marriage, but 20 years ago I did, today I have a problem with big Government, but 20 years ago I did not? IOW as we grow and mature, our perceptions of good/bad, right/wrong, should/should not changes? I know these are changes in opinions, but aren't they also changes in worldviews? or are world view changes different.
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
Isn't Humanism a non-Deity religion; like Buddhism? I was talking about an example outside religion.
Humanism is a result of the Enlightenment and mainly concerned with humanity and human rights. It was religious or at least secular in the best sense. Humanism being mostly atheistic is a development that started in 20s of the 20th c.
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
Aren't world views in a constant state of change? Ex. Today I may have no problem with Gay marriage, but 20 years ago I did, today I have a problem with big Government, but 20 years ago I did not? IOW as we grow and mature, our perceptions of good/bad, right/wrong, should/should not changes? I know these are changes in opinions, but aren't they also changes in worldviews? or are world view changes different.
A change in worldview may be if change from a magical to a naturalistic view (or vice versa) or simply the degree of magic you allow. A change from determinism to a chaotic or probabilistic view or from pessimism to optimism.
Those changes happen but not as often or radical as opinions.
 

It Aint Necessarily So

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Isn't Humanism a non-Deity religion; like Buddhism? I was talking about an example outside religion.
I suppose it depends on one's definition of religion. At least one poster here considers all worldviews religions. I don't use the word to refer to worldviews that don't include supernaturalism. Atheistic humanism has no magic or spirits, no revelation or holy book, no concept of divinity, and no promises of reincarnation or an afterlife. Those are the kind of things that make a worldview a religion as I use the word.
 

Kfox

Well-Known Member
No. It applies to all who think about it. Atheist like myself also have their world view.
Yeah, Buddha never cared to elaborate on it, and Jainism denies existence of God. They have their own world view.
Yeah, as we go on in life, our view changes. But then comes a time when all changes have been made and there is no possibility of any further change, unless something very extraordinary is found. For example, if Big Bang is discarded because of new findings, I will need to change my views.
Dealings about family, society, country and in general about all humans is known to us as our duty ('dharma'). For me, it is independent of religion.
Why would you need to change all that stuff about your life if the big bang theory is dis proven?
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Isn't Humanism a non-Deity religion; like Buddhism? I was talking about an example outside religion.
It all depends on how you define religion. Normally, religion is defined as a philosophy that includes a God or gods. But in all honestly, experts in religion themselves have a very hard time defining the word. Whether Buddhism is a religion or philosophy is a matter of great debate.

I believe that Secular Humanism is defined as a non-religious worldview. However, there are versions of Humanism that are religious, such as Christian Humanism.
 

Kfox

Well-Known Member
Everyone has a world view. It is essentially whatever your philosophy is about the whole of your life.
How about those of us who do not have a philosophy about the whole of our life, but instead have various philosophies about specific things that we deal with in life?
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
How about those of us who do not have a philosophy about the whole of our life, but instead have various philosophies about specific things that we deal with in life?
Everyone has a philosophy that governs their life. But not everyone is so introspective that they are consciously aware of it. You say you have "various philosophies." These would be the building blocks of your world view.
 

nPeace

Veteran Member
A straw man argument is when the person avoids the opponent's actual argument and instead argues against an inaccurate caricature of it.
What did I say to give the impression that I was doing this?
Kfox said:
Answer given.

Kfox said:
Ahem. First attempted strawman.

Strawman burned.
Kfox said:
Okay. Seems to have accepted the loss of the stawman.

Kfox said:
Oops. :facepalm: I spoke too soon.
Second attempted strawman.

Do I need to point out the others. There are too many.
Yes, you avoided the opponent's actual argument and instead argues against an inaccurate caricature of it.
Or maybe you just don't understand.

'Opinions' perhaps. Because a worldview often includes more than one.
Then perhaps it should be called "Worldviews" because it's about more than one; agree?
No. Because a blend of opinion and fact can be a worldview.
Kfox said:

Nope. You're building strawman... plural.
 

nPeace

Veteran Member
Not all automobiles are cars, but all cars are automobiles.
I was asking for an example of a worldview that is not based on opinion; you gave examples of opinions that are not based on ones worldview
...and there is the clincher.

Can you give an example of a worldview that does not include religion?
I can give you examples of world-views which are not necessarily religious (in the traditional sense referred to) such as communism, Nazism, nihilism, pacifism etc.

MO confirmed. Equating religion with opinion, and trying to contrast atheistic worldviews with that.
Gotcha. :D
 
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