My Worldview Short Essay

WAYS OF KNOWING NATURAL SCIENCES

Portland State University
Minimum length: 1500 words
Standard formatting rules apply See Syllabus.
University Studies goals addressed:
Critical thinking Students will examine their worldview through analysis and critical assessment of
their beliefs
Diversity and Human Experience Students will recognize worldview beliefs as an important source of
differences between people and how they see and experience the world
Social Responsibility Students will articulate how their actions and behavior are connected to their
worldview beliefs.
Written communication
Supplemental Reading: Funk (2001) What is a Worldview? Available on D2L.

Background
One of the course goals this term is to examine the influence of scientific knowledge on our worldviews.
There is no standard definition of a worldview. According to the 1989 edition of the Oxford English
Dictionary as quoted in Ken Funks essay What is a Worldview, a worldview is a contemplation of life,
[a] view of life, [a] particular philosophy of life. Another definition from The Encyclopedia of
Philosophy, states that a worldview is [a] philosophy, in which a picture of reality is combined with a
sense of its meaning and value and with principles of action . Richard Dewitt in his book Worldviews
sees a worldview as a system of beliefs that are interconnected like the way the pieces of a jigsaw
puzzle are interconnected.
Our worldview contains the basic, general, and fundamental knowledge on which [our] particular
beliefs, and [our] intents for external action are based. According to Funks definition, [a] worldview
is the set of beliefs about fundamental aspects of reality that ground and influence all ones perceiving,
thinking, knowing, and doing. Few people take the time to explicitly think about their worldview or
consider how their worldview influences their actions. Funk argues that [i]f you fail to examine,
articulate, and refine your worldview, then your worldview may in fact be wrong and you will always
be ill-prepared to substantiate your beliefs and justify your acts. He further writes [i]f you fail to be
conscious of your worldview and fail to appeal to it as a basis for your thoughts and acts, you will be at
the mercy of your emotions, your impulses, and your reflexes, and [you will] be inclined to conform to
societal and cultural norms and behavior regardless of their merit.
Assignment
Your task is to follow what Funk advocates, namely to examine and articulate your own worldview
beliefs. Funk describes seven elements that compose a worldview: epistemology, metaphysics,
cosmology, teleology, theology, anthropology, and axiology. These are described in detail in the essay.
For example, epistemology includes our beliefs on what we consider to be valid sources of knowledge,
e.g. authority, experience, and reason. Metaphysics includes what we think the ultimate make-up of
reality is. Is the universe composed only of material things like atoms and molecules, or is there also a
non-material reality that would include things like souls, essences, and minds?
For each of these seven worldview components, Funk lists relevant questions about our beliefs in each
category. For your essay, answer the questions according to your own beliefs. I am not looking for any
one view or belief. Do not answer the way you think I might want you to answer. You will only be
graded on how completely you address the questions. Answer the questions as clearly and honestly as you

can. This can be a difficult exercise as we seldom consider our beliefs like this. We often have
contradictory beliefs in our worldviews and that in itself is interesting. Comment if you find this to be true
about your own beliefs. Do your best to integrate the questions themselves into your essays. That is, dont
just simply write out each question in list form.
Address these questions or similar ones in your essay. I do not want to constrain your thinking about
your worldview by forcing your thoughts into these categories and questions, but they provide a good
starting point. Feel free to explore ideas outside these categories/questions as well.
Epistemology Should beliefs be justified? How should we justify beliefs? What is the difference
between knowledge and faith? Is certainty possible? Is science a valid method for justifying beliefs? Is
science the only valid method to justify beliefs? In the absence of certainty should we live with
uncertainty?
Metaphysics Is Reality objective? Is Reality observer-dependent? Do we create our own Reality? Is the
universe only material? Is the universe non-material? Does mind exist independently of matter? If so, how
does mind interact with matter? If not, where do thoughts, emotions, consciousness reside? When you say
that something is true, what do you mean? What is your test for Truth?
Cosmology What is the origin of the universe? What is the origin of life? Of humans? Could the
universe have ended up differently? What is the fate of the Universe? Is the universe infinite? Is there
more than one universe? Are there copies of you in other universes? Is the passing of time an illusion?
Does the future already exist? Are objects in the universe intimately connected?
Teleology Does the universe have a purpose? If so, from where does purpose come? How do you know
there is a purpose? What might this purpose be? If the universe has no purpose, how is life meaningful?
Theology Is there a God? What role does God play in the Universe? What is the relationship of God to
the material universe? Do we need to explain Gods existence? Does God live outside Time? Does God
have Free Will?
Anthropology Where did we come from? What is our place in the Universe? Are we fundamentally
different than other life forms? What does it mean to be human? What is the human condition? Do we
have free will?
Axiology Do absolute moral laws exist? Where do moral principles come from? Is there an objective
measure of morality? If moral laws come from God, what makes these laws moral? Can morality emerge
from evolution? If so, are all moral actions selfish at their core?
ORGANIZATION
Introduction This should motivate your essay. Provide background on what a worldview is, how we
typically construct our worldview, and the importance of a worldview.
Worldview categories A reasonable way to organize the body of your essay is to use one or two
paragraphs per category. For example for each worldview category include one paragraph that describes
the types of beliefs included in that category and another paragraph or two describing your own beliefs in
that category.
Synthesis After describing your beliefs, take a step back and look at all of your beliefs as a whole.
Assess whether they are consistent with one another. Do your beliefs form a coherent system of thought?
If individual beliefs were like jigsaw puzzle pieces, do your beliefs fit together, or are there some pieces
that may belong to different puzzles? Are there one or two fundamental assumptions on which most of
your beliefs depend? What is the main source of your beliefs? Personal experience? Family? Culture?
Science?
Conclusion Summarize the main points of your essay.
Assessment is based on addressing all worldview categories and sections above. APA formatting is
needed only for citations and references.