Naming The Elephant Summary
Naming the Elephant
Worldview as a Concept
History and Philosophy of Ideas
February 9, 2014
James Sire, the author of the book Naming the Elephant Worldview as a Concept, is a Christian author and philosopher. This interesting book shares an interesting view of worldview. Sire defines a worldview as: “A worldview is a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously or inconsistently) about the basic makeup of our world” (Sire, 2004). It does not matter who I am, where I come from, or what I believe in. Everyone has their own worldview. Consciously, I probably never even thought about it. Nor have I even realized it, till now, but I have …show more content…
There are other ways of knowing. One of those ways is into the heart through a story. The very reality in which we all live, involves both living out our understanding and commitment to that reality. In other words, building a worldview is all about learning. It is also about absorbing and committing to live out the reality that we have built. There are quite a few parallels among worldviews and spiritual formation. Spiritual formation involves the learning, and brings together what we learn to build. It also brings the reality to guide us to live it out in the real world.
James Sire 's concept of worldview is a “set of presuppositions (Sire, 2004)” that are pretty much the same with one another. These beliefs are our first basic endeavor. To me this means that we do not have a realistic reason to grasp onto these beliefs. However, if we did have a rational reason for these beliefs, then the rational reason would be the true basic base obligation. That is unless, it had a rational reason. These presuppositions are the reasons, whether rational or not, for what we …show more content…
The first area on his list deals with prime reality which means God, others gods, and/or matter (Sire, 2004). He characterizes the second area as the reality, and our relationship to it. Humanity is the third piece of Sire 's blueprint of World View. He asks, "What is a human being? (Sire, 2004)" He uses the idea of death as his fourth area (Sire, 2004). We all believe we know what happens to us, at or even after death. The fifth element is commitment and in one 's worldview raises the question as to whether it is possible for anything to truly be known. Correlating to this is the expectation that concerns right and wrong. This area deals with our ability to know right and wrong. As well as how we figure out what is right and wrong. The meaning or lack thereof of human history is the last piece of one 's worldview. These seven primary and foundational commitments work together to form every other belief and thought that one
Worldview as a Concept
History and Philosophy of Ideas
February 9, 2014
James Sire, the author of the book Naming the Elephant Worldview as a Concept, is a Christian author and philosopher. This interesting book shares an interesting view of worldview. Sire defines a worldview as: “A worldview is a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously or inconsistently) about the basic makeup of our world” (Sire, 2004). It does not matter who I am, where I come from, or what I believe in. Everyone has their own worldview. Consciously, I probably never even thought about it. Nor have I even realized it, till now, but I have …show more content…
There are other ways of knowing. One of those ways is into the heart through a story. The very reality in which we all live, involves both living out our understanding and commitment to that reality. In other words, building a worldview is all about learning. It is also about absorbing and committing to live out the reality that we have built. There are quite a few parallels among worldviews and spiritual formation. Spiritual formation involves the learning, and brings together what we learn to build. It also brings the reality to guide us to live it out in the real world.
James Sire 's concept of worldview is a “set of presuppositions (Sire, 2004)” that are pretty much the same with one another. These beliefs are our first basic endeavor. To me this means that we do not have a realistic reason to grasp onto these beliefs. However, if we did have a rational reason for these beliefs, then the rational reason would be the true basic base obligation. That is unless, it had a rational reason. These presuppositions are the reasons, whether rational or not, for what we …show more content…
The first area on his list deals with prime reality which means God, others gods, and/or matter (Sire, 2004). He characterizes the second area as the reality, and our relationship to it. Humanity is the third piece of Sire 's blueprint of World View. He asks, "What is a human being? (Sire, 2004)" He uses the idea of death as his fourth area (Sire, 2004). We all believe we know what happens to us, at or even after death. The fifth element is commitment and in one 's worldview raises the question as to whether it is possible for anything to truly be known. Correlating to this is the expectation that concerns right and wrong. This area deals with our ability to know right and wrong. As well as how we figure out what is right and wrong. The meaning or lack thereof of human history is the last piece of one 's worldview. These seven primary and foundational commitments work together to form every other belief and thought that one