Summary of Sesi 3-4 Video

Worldview is the way we view this world, including everything in it, from our perspective. It
incorporates how we think the world works, how we view and contemplate something, how
we fit into this massive world and also how we find solutions and solve problems, by using
our own perspective and intuition.

Perspective is a concept that is true to ourselves, in that, the way we view determines how we
examine the world and what our vision is of the future. Our vision, in turn, influences our
expectations for the future, not of the future. Therefore, our perspective reflects our own
values, helps us interpret the world surrounding us and governs our choices in life. It
represents a spiritual phenomenon rather than a religious one. A person with a righteous
worldview is more likely to perform good deeds because he understands that when it comes
down to it, he is responsible for all of his past actions including whether or not he has done it.

In our lives, worldview shapes our decisions, goals and accomplishments. It teaches us the
basic idea of happiness which is that happiness does not arise from material objects, but in
fact comes from within. It also regulates our expenditure, because anyone with a fine
worldview can attest that saving money is a better strategy for the long run. There is a direct
relationship between worldview and how is it we behave and act towards other people.

Worldview is plays an extremely important role in our lives because of its relationship with
culture. It determines our usage of science and technology; whether we use it for good or for
bad. It shows how we care for our health; do we look after it as if it were a temple or do we
abuse it by consuming drugs, etc. It is represented in how in we use the law; to provide
justice and fight for what is right or misuse it. It is manifested in how we tend nature; no
deforestation and plant trees, or littering and polluting nature.

How we treat our family also depends on our worldview. Respecting them and being a good
model/example for our kids, nieces, etc. stems directly from a virtuous worldview. Another
aspect that is derived directly from a virtuous worldview is when we save money and do not
spend it carelessly (Economy). Maintaining good politics with no cheating and pure honesty
is an additional aspect. However, out of all these links of culture to worldview, the clearest
most direct link is that of religion. Particularly our actions and behavior as a human being,
and a citizen of this world.

The 7 pillars of wisdom, according to Greek and Roman philosophers are divided into 2
categories, namely Trivium and Quadrivium. Trivium is a study that is related with speech
and direct communication i.e. the verbal arts and constitutes Logic, Rhetoric and Grammar.
Quadrivium, on the other hand, is the study of numbers, i.e. the numeric arts. Its constituents
are Arithmetic, Geometry, Music and Astronomy.

The commitment of a basic faith system is to answer existential questions. It seeks to answer
the very essence of humans, our location in the middle of the earth and our origin, the
misdeeds of this world and its people, and what it is that we can do to help. The answer to the
last question is most definitely religion and its spirituality.
Summary of “Wawasan Dunia Sebagai Model Pendekatan
Studi PAAD”
The basic questions in a worldview, proposed by James Sire, serve to develop a self
understanding and also a self awareness. The questions themselves range from the origin of
our existence to life after death. They can be answered by studying various subject such as
nihilism, postmodernism, etc.

An assortment of definitions can be found for ‘Worldview” each of it contributing to a wider

and deeper vision to what Worldview actually includes. Worldview can be defined as, but not
limited to, a set of presumptions, that may prove to be true which we adopt, whether
consciously or not, about the very essence of the basic reality of our life by which we
interpret the universe, contemplate on our self-existence and sow our believe system so that it
serves as a built-in metaphysical insight to life and everything in it and influences our day to
day actions, behaviors and attitudes.

Worldview is an important aspect because with it humans can relate their actions to nature
and signify it as a single entity and hence, an unsustainable life is a life that is not qualified in
all significant senses.

The German word for Worldview, i.e. Weltanschauung, created by Immanuel Kant, is also
commonly used to refer to it, as it was in Germany that the idea of Worldview began, as a
supporter of Philosophy. Kant refers to his theory as being parallel to the Copernician
Revolution in that, just like how Copernicus turned astronomy inside-out by speculating that
the Earth revolved around the Sun (instead of vice versa), Kant’s theory that humans, not
God, are the source of all valid information, turned Epistemology inside-out. The human
mind is capable of limitless imagination and he believed that this power forms the basis of all
ideas that cannot be picked up by our physical senses, i.e. the power of intuition.

James Orr is another prominent figure for the blossoming theory of Worldview who theorized
that Worldview is the broadest view that humans can assume to understand the world
systematically and comprehensively, which is made up of the natural world, morality and
God.

A religious standpoint of Worldview was taken up Abraham Kuyper who believed that ‘God
governs all’ and that his rules are to be obeyed at all times by everyone. He surmised
principles as roots connected to one another in a logical and systematic manner that
ultimately manifested life and that the existence of human beings is due to God, Earth and
humans themselves. He then further explains it; humans have a direct connection with God,
has individual values given by God and have potential resources on the Earth that should not
be taken for granted.

Kuyper left 3 legacies which are that God’s grace restores nature, God is sovereign and that
cultural duties should be done wholeheartedly.
Diskusikan ….
# Akal manusia tidaklah netral dalam bekerja tetapi berfungsi
dibawah pengaruh seperangkat asumsi sebelumnya yang
mengondisikan semua pikiran dan tindakan. Bagaimana pendapat
Anda/Kelompok?
It is true that the mind and perceptive of every individual are not the same. This is because
everyone is born with a different personality and grew up in different environments with
different families of different cultures and values and all of these features contribute to
developing the people that we are right now. Everyone is unique in every sense of the term.
No two people in this world in the history of mankind has been exactly the same and
therefore there is a wide variety of worldviews.

Ex. Person A is born in an abusive household where the tiniest mistake would result in
physical assault by a family member to which he would deal with by defending himself and
running away. Then there is Person B who lives in a normal and healthy household, whose
mistakes are replied with anger but non-physical and he is taught to apologize and be
responsible for his actions

They grow up and one day, they do some mistake, say at work. Person A’s first instinct
wouldn’t be to apologize and take the anger of his boss directed at him. It would be defending
himself and running away as he expects assault from his leader, as a result of his prior
experience as a child.

However, if it was Person B, he would take the blame as he understands that his actions
would have consequences and that he is responsible for them too, and would apologize to his
boss.

This correlation supports the hypothesis of the discussion that Human intellect is not neutral
and is under the influence of prior experiences and conditioned assumptions.

Summary of “Waw. Dunia: Elemen-elemen & Evaluasi”

Epistemology is the study of knowledge and is the first of the multiple elements of
Worldview. This element focuses more on how we acquired a certain knowledge rather than
what is the content of the knowledge. It is a fair balance between ratio and faith, where
secularism, truth only in ratio, and fideism, blind trust in faith, should be avoided.

Metaphysics, often grouped under ontology, is another element, which investigates existence
of things, rather than not, and the relationships between the things that exist and states that
without purpose it can only end in chaos.

Ethics urges us to contemplate how our morals and values dominate us and and what are the
standards of truth between our relationship with creations of God. Other elements include
Theology, which helps us understand and think about God, and Anthropology, which helps us
understand and think about the societies and people of this world.
Several approaches are used to test worldview, the first one being the test of reason and
experience. Testing reason requires the testing of logic, where there should be valid mutual
logic at every step. There is 2 ways of verifying it, i.e. analytically, when its rudiments have a
direct meaning and synthetically, when it is experienced sensibly. Determinism is a theory
that states all events that occur has been set by previous events, and hence, free will is not
present as humans act the way they do through reflex rather than naturally. However,
Physicalism states that we are only a physical system with a brain and nervous system.

The test of experience is a very important factor as worldview should already accommodate
experiences that we experience and help us explain it simply as real.

Another test is the test of the outside and inside world. The outside world test is when we
think broadly using transcendence to explain a phenomenological experience. The inside
world test promotes a balance between all things, such as the past, present and future, or
existentialism or essentialism.

The last type of tests is that of Theory, a presupposition, based on thought and experience,
towards an object or study, that requires trial and error for verification, and Practical, a
consistency and coherency between thought and action that logically supports the basic
principles in both senses of the outer and inner world.

‘Tanggapan’
My response towards the materials that Mr. Junry has provided for the study of PAD is most
definitely a positive one. This is mostly because the study of Philosophy has always
fascinated me and I absolutely admire how various concepts and figures of Philosophy such
as Immanuel Kant, the Isaac Newton of the philosophical world, is incorporated into this
course. This objective approach to the various religions of the world has proven to be very
effective as just after learning a couple of sessions, I already have a better idea for each
religion, including how they are unique in their own ways.

In this particular session, I understood the meaning of worldview, its history and how
Pancasila, is just another worldview which this country has adopted and how it correlates to
the diverse religions of Indonesia. As Abraham Kuyper said “…Satu hasrat telah menjadi
penggerak hidup saya, satu motivasi yang besar telah memacu pikiran dan jiwa saya. Dan jika
saya mencari pelarian dari kewajiban suci yang dibebankan kepada saya, biarlah nafas
kehidupan meninggalkan saya...” is such a profound and raw statement which reinforces the
value of God in our worldview.

I also understood the various elements and principles to evaluate worldview and the line
between logic and belief. Using various tools such as Epistemology, it has pushed me to
contemplate and ponder deeply into our own existence and myself tried to answer the
question of “How do I know what I know? How did I obtain this information and when did I
started to have this perspective towards something?”

I utterly commend this course, as in just a few sessions, it has already encouraged me to think
critically and form a deeper understanding towards other people, their religion and also their
culture.