Worldview Seminar Deck 2 Flashcards
What is the Prime Reality of Theism and Deism? How are they different and the same?
Theism: God, Infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, personal, triune, good
Deism: God, infinite, triune, Impersonal, clockmaker, first cause
Both deism and theism believe in a God as the first cause; they believe in his infinity, and triune godhead However In theism God is personal and present within our external reality but deism God is impersonal and not present within our external reality
What is the prime reality of Naturalism and Existentialism, and how do they compare?
Naturalism: Physical material only, matter in motion (think Big Bang). There is no God.
Existentialism: Matter only, in two forms: objective and subjective.
Both do not believe in a god; both focus on the existence of Matter. Both naturalists and existentialists find Knowledge and understanding through reason. However, Theistic Existentialists may also turn to faith to help determine understanding. Find knowledge paradoxical.
Compare and contrast Atheistic Existentialism and Theistic Existentialism.
(Atheistic)Prime Reality: Matter exists eternally, No God
(Theistic)Prime Reality: Same as Theism
(Atheistic)External Reality: Cosmos made up of subjective and objective matter; Objective: Material - can be understood through science.
Subjective: Mind, consciousness, freedom, stability
(Theistic)External Reality: Same as Theism
(Atheistic) Human Beings: Complex machines, Existence precedes essence
(Theistic) Human beings: Same as theism, but more of a focus on human nature and our relation to the cosmos. We come to consciousness in an alien universe. God may or may not exist, only to be answered by faith.
(Atheistic)Death: Same as Naturalism
(Theistic)Death: Same as Theism
(Atheistic)Knowledge: Reason
(Theistic)Knowledge: Subjective. The whole truth is paradoxical. It can be found through faith.
(Atheistic)Morality: Good action - will be the consciously chosen action. Must revolt against the absurdity of the objective world and create value. Value is only found in the subjective world.
(Theistic)Morality: mostly Theistic, but also the person is the valuable
(Atheistic)History: same as Naturalism
(Theistic)History: History is a model or type of myth to be made present and lived.
(Atheistic)Core Commitments: Two themself
(Theistic)Core Commitments: Same as theism
How does Moralistic Therapeutic Deism differ to Christian Theism?
Prime Reality: Moralistic Therapeutic Deism holds God as a vague figurehead who created the universe, but His main purpose is to make us happy. While theists believe Him to Be Personal, infinite, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, trine, good.
External reality can be understood by humans through science. Orderly. For theists, external reality is God’s creation as an open system functioning through cause and effect.
As Human Beings Theists believe they were created in the image of God with consciousness, personality, intelligence, morality, and creativity. Fallen, redeemable, but not yet redeemed. In Moralistic Therapeutic Deism Human beings were created by God to be happy, people can ultimately choose their own beliefs based on personal preference.
In relation to death: Moralistic Therapeutic Deism believes that if you are good and nice you will go to heaven. Almost everyone is good - therefore almost everyone goes to heaven. While theists believe that Salvation is found through Christ Jesus not by good works but through faith alone. After death, there is heaven or hell.
In theism, knowledge is discovered by either general (indirect) or special(direct) revelation. Knowledge is given to us because of our godlikeness (made in God’s image). In contrast, Moralistic Therapeutic Deism believes that knowledge can come from scripture, but mostly through science.
Morality is observed in scripture. God’s character and commands are the standard. For Moralistic Therapeutic Deism, Morality is simply being nice and good, and getting along with others, no righteousness is required.
History in association with Theism serves the purpose of building God’s kingdom and displaying God’s purpose for mankind. In moralist Therapeutic Deism History is focused on the present, forget the past or future, it’s all about me.
Core commitments for Theists include glorifying God and seeking His kingdom. For Therapeutic Deists, it is merely to be happy.
Explain Naturalism. How does secular Humanism play into naturalism? What is the result of Naturalism? And how does the result of Naturalism play into the development of other worldviews?
Naturalism Holds that there are no Gods; prime reality is almost identical to external reality, and both are matter-focused. It is a closed system of cause and effect.
As human beings, we are the result of development/evolution slowly becoming more complex over time, brought into existence accidentally. Autonomous.
There is no afterlife. The extinction of the individual after death.
Knowledge comes from our evolved capacity to know things. There is no scriptural revelation.
Morality is developed through individual and social constructs of human beings. Designed through reason.
History Is a result of Individual and social constructs. Its’ meaning is defined by what the human imagines it to mean.
To live to determine one’s own destiny in accordance with the individual’s autonomous human reason.
Naturalism - Secular Humanism: tries to instill a significance of the individual within a naturalistic worldview.
Naturalism results in Nihilism because there is no morality, significance for individuals, and no basis for the formation of knowledge; They are simply ideas that naturalism vaguely clings to. Nihilism takes out these unexplained ideas of the worldview removing purpose, meaning, and value from life. Nothing can be trusted, even one’s own reason.
However, this worldview leads to depression, insanity, and suicide. In revolt against Nihilism existentialism was developed which places the individual as the value maker.
Compare and contrast Eastern Pantheism and New Age worldviews.
Prime Reality for Eastern Pantheism refers to a oneness behind all distinctions of space and time., good and evil, real and illusionary. The cosmos is God, and God is the Cosmos.
In New Age Prime Reality is a divine whatever, not distinct or defined it is determined by our own perceptions of reality and our values. Both have abroad god figure that is not well defined; however, In New Age philosophy the God figure can be defined by the individual while in Eastern Pantheism the God figure still remains somewhat vague
External reality in both Eastern Pantheism and New Age are part of Prime reality. In Eastern pantheism, the external reality is “maya” or illusionary. While in New Age External Reality is simply an extension of prime reality. For both Cosmos and God are ultimately identical.
Human beings in Eastern Pantheism are described as being a spark of the divine that can be reunited with the ultimate reality or the oneness. In New Age we are similarly a division from the prime reality, exhibiting spiritual and material characteristics however they do not return to the one necessarily
In Eastern Pantheism, The human is either reincarnated based on the way he lived his previous life- death of personality but not an individual’s nature, or the person can be reunited with the Oneness which is the end of reincarnation and the ultimate goal.
Knowledge is an illusion because it is part of prime reality and prime reality is an illusion Knowledge is a part of the oneness. In New Age, Individual experience is the final authority. Ecstasy - is the final authority.
In both New Age and Eastern Pantheistic monism Evil and good have no final distinction. In New Age, evil is just an illusion.
History In both New Age and Eastern Pantheism has no particular purpose. In New Age the focus is the present (linear). In Eastern Pantheism, the goal is the be reunited with the oneness and get off the circular wheel of reincarnation(history is circular).
Core Commitments In New Age is it to enhance oneself. In Eastern Pnatheism it is to return to one’s origin in the infinite impersonal one.
Explain Postmodernism.
Prime Reality is not necessarily defined or definable. it is dependent on one’s language
External reality is the same as Prime Reality. it is a part of everyone’s language.
Human beings are a result of a linguistic construction from languages used by and about people.
Death will lead to personal extinction, but nothing is certain.
Knowledge: No one knows anything strictly speaking. But understanding can be constructed and limited by languages used to cope with existence.
Morality is humanistic, the result of a social and linguistic constructed pattern of desire, thought, and behavior
History has no meaning or purpose. All meta-narratives are oppressive and not to be trusted.
The core commitment is to use language to fashion as a means to achieve what the individual wants.
Contrast Islamic Theism and Christian Theism.
Both prime realities have infinite Gods. In Islam, Allah emphasizes Oneness. While in Theism God is triune.
External reality: In Islam, we function in a closed system, while in Theism we function in an open system.
Human Beings: In theism, we are created in God’s image, fallen, but redeemable with assurance of salvation. In Islam, we are the pinnacle of Allah’s creation, with responsibility to Allah, but we are not fallen.
After death, in Theism there is either heaven or hell based on our faith and belief in God, assurance of salvation. In Islam there is a judgment based on works, no assurance of salvation, heaven, and hell.
Knowledge in Theism comes from the Scriptures (special/direct revelation) or Indirect/ general revelation) We are able to know because we are made in the image of God. In Islam. Knowledge is given through Allah’s sovereign decrees. Humans can gain knowledge through reason and senses.
Morality is observed in scripture(Bible). God’s character and commands are the standard. In Islam, Right and wrong is based on the Qur’an.
History In theism is used to develop God’s Kingdom and demonstrate God’s purpose for mankind. In Islam, History shows Allah’s sovereignty and allows mankind to demonstrate submission to him.
Core Commitments In Theism center around giving God the glory and seeking first the kingdom of God. In Islam, Submission to Allah in all areas of life is the main goal.
Identify the Historical Flow of worldviews and the general idea behind them.
(1600 - 1880)
Theism:
- Personal God
- Special Revelation
- General Revelation (reason)
Deism:
- God as a Force (Eternal
clockmaker)
- Knowledge through reason
Naturalism:
- No God
- Knowledge through human
reason
Nihilism
- No God, No purpose, No truth
- Humans will to power
(1880 - present)
Existentialism
Self as Value maker
- maybe God, maybe no God
Eastern Pantheism
- Cosmos = God
New Age
- Self = God
Postmodernism
- Language = reality
- Language define meaning
What function does the cosmos have in Theism, Naturalism, and Eastern Pantheism?
Theism: The cosmos is God created. God is personal.
Naturalism: There is no God, and the material cosmos is all there is.
Eastern Pantheism: Cosmos is God. The entire cosmos is divine, One with God, who is one.
Describe Deism and its turning from God in relation to all worldview questions.
Prime Reality: God is no longer personal he is the first cause, but he is no longer active in his creation(clockmaker). (closed system)
External Reality: Cause and effect, but a closed system(no miracles)
Human Beings: Personal but just a part of the clockwork, possibly can effect changes, not specifically special.
Death: May or may not be life after death.
Knowledge: Discovered through indirect revelation, no scriptural revelation. Through autonomous reason.
Morality: Human reason constructs ethical knowledge
History: A result of human choices, generally in a direction to advance the betterment of mankind.
Core Commitments: The use of human reason to promote human flourishing.
Compare and Contrast Hinduism and Buddhism
Both emphasize the singularity of prime reality. However, in Hinduism, the prime reality can be more specifical defined as Brahman, the “one”. In Buddhism, Prime reality is a void, unnamable, and unknowable and cannot be specifically or vaguely defined in any way.
In Hinduism - humans have a soul (atman)
In Buddhism, humans do not have a soul aggregate of the previous person.
Hinduism: Ascend to Godhood
Buddhism: empty mind goal, state of realization of nonbeing.
share a similar core commitment to eliminate any desire to achieve salvation.
