“A worldview is a commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart, that can be expressed as a story or in a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or inconsistently) about the basic constitution of reality, and that provides the foundation on which we live and move and have our being.”
— James Sire
I was a freshman in college when I first read Sire’s most well-known work, The Universe Next Door (TUND), the book in which the above quote finds its home. Appropriately, it served as the textbook for my “Introduction to Worldviews” class. The book is referred to as “A Basic Worldview Catalog,” and while Sire’s Christian bias is blatant throughout, TUND provides a decent enough introduction to the competing paradigms and belief systems found in the world.
Sire’s definition of worldview as “a commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart” indicates that the beliefs we hold about the “basic constitution of reality” are more than mere intellectual assent; they resonate with our most deeply held emotions, passions and values. We define ourselves by our worldviews, and thus value our beliefs as dearly as we value ourselves. For many people, critiquing their paradigm is the same as attacking their being. This is why, in the majority of cases, arguments alone do not sway a person’s thinking.
Dead-Logic 