This was the substance of a talk I gave to some people involved in University education. It is basic but I hope gets the point across.
The Importance of Worldview in University.
All of us have a philosophy – a way of thinking that gives us the principles by which we act. Another way of putting this is that all of us have a view of the world which determines how we act and react. If we do not think about what our world view is, or are not prepared to examine other world views, then the danger is that we end up both ill-informed and prejudiced.
Which is why in education we need to encourage students to think for themselves. The job of an educational establishment is not to impose a worldview from on high, but rather to encourage people to think for themselves. We do not tell students what to think, we show them how to think.Therefore, it is imperative that we and our students understand what a world view is. Especially in today’s multi-cultural society in Australia where there is a danger that a clash of worldviews will lead to disharmony and conflict.
Some people have a worldview which is based upon one of the great religions of the world. Others would argue for a largely political worldview. The fact is that no society exists without an ethos and principles derived from its world view. The philosopher Os Guinness argues that every civilisation is built upon a foundation that answers the fundamental questions of human existence: Where do we come from? What is our purpose? What is the meaning of life?
In the West what we now know as liberal democracies were born from a Judeo-Christian worldview – as the historian Tom Holland has demonstrated in his book, Dominion. The Enlightenment led to the development of a secular liberalism and all-encompassing political philosophies such as Marxism and Fascism.
In a world full of conflicts there is a danger that we will lose the freedoms that were once the hallmark of Western society free speech, religious liberty, and personal autonomy. What will they be replaced with?
Guinness argues that we all need to wrestle with meaning, belonging and purpose. We need to look at our roots, what restrains us and what could renew us. Where do we get our morals from? Are they – or can they be – absolute?
How can people with different worldviews live together?
If we wish to avoid chaos or authoritarianism we must learn to understand and tolerate one another.
Which is why it is important for students to understand what world view is. They need to understand the basics of different world views – and be open to being challenged by these. If a university only permits or teaches one world view – it no longer deserves to be called a university – it has become a monoversity.
The question of how we teach worldview is a broad and difficult one – but at the very least we should seek to expose students to the best exponents of the major worldviews – and encourage them to think critically and respectfully about each one.
David Robertson
Scots Kirk, Hamilton, Newcastle.
2025
Letters to a Post-Christian Nation 6 – Education. New Life
I put it this way
We all have a belief system
Religions are different belief systems
Non religion is also a belief system.
Who is to say yours is better than mine or mine is better than yours
I silenced a PHD student with this when they were saying we should not teach religion
A huge resounding yes we do
Philosophy underlies all disciplines-contrary to what R Dawkins and Co tell us…….
Can science be separated from history and philosophy, or is the science story an evolving human narrative?
Agree!