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Under this category, we all have a subdivision whereby we hold to a “best” methods view for society – which arguably could be synonymous with our political world view and we hold to a “best” methods view for ourselves as individuals.
This second subdivision of individual methodology can be further divided into our “ideal” methodology or how we might believe and assert that our methods are decidedly a certain way but then our “actual” individual methodology, which is clearly identified by our behaviour, appears to be contradictory to what we say. i.e. we may not practice what we preach. We all have a level of this. Some more than others.
For instance, over dinner on a first date a person may say in conversation, “I am the type of person that…likes to help those in need.” This being his ‘ideal’ world view which he believes of himself and proudly asserts to his date.
However, when he leaves the table, he refuses to leave a tip for an underpaid waiter, and drives away from the restaurant in a cab intended for someone else leaving them to fend for themselves. His actual methodology is not consistent with his ideal. We could say that the person in the example above is a philanthropist in his ideal methodology but in his actual methodology he is an opportunist or perhaps a pragmatist.
Another example on a societal level of methodology might be a University professor making the claim that western “Christianised” cultures are oppressive and “imperialist” in their methodologies and must be replaced by peace-loving Marxist or Eastern “tolerant” methodologies in order to obtain peace.
But a cursory look at a measurable metric like emigration statistics from nations of both Western Christian and Eastern Marxist, Muslim or Hindu methodologies would reveal that virtually no one flees Western methodologies in order to escape to the “safety” of Marxist nations like China, N. Korea, or Cuba and virtually no one is fleeing Christianised western nations to join pantheist nations like India, Mongolia, or Sri Lanka.
The statistics are quite the opposite as they reveal that the populations of those nations are emigrating en masse to western Judao-Christian cultures. The professor is living comfortably within the society which he condemns, revealing a conflict between his “ideal” methodology and his “pragmatic” methodology
Select the tabs on the accordion below to read about various methodological worldviews. Ask yourself, what is my methodological worldview? Pay attention to how each approach might cope with setbacks or success…
Biblical: My choices and behaviors in life should be preceded and accompanied by prayer to the God of the Bible and in my interaction with other people, I must put their needs above my own: Do unto others as you would have them do to you. The Biblical methodology is one of a life of faith knowing that the God of the Bible is provider and sustainer and it is He who gives us the very ability to create wealth. Jesus tells His followers that the pagans chase after what they will wear or what they will eat and drink but that His followers are to “seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.”
When facing setbacks or difficulties, the Biblical methodology is to go to the God of the Bible in prayer and put all worries, fears, and concerns in His care (“cast your cares upon Him because He cares for you”), and divesting one’s self of them. Then ask Him for wisdom and receive it & obey Him in faith. (“Do not be anxious but in everything with prayer and supplication make your requests known to God.”)
Hedonism: This is a methodology to live for pleasure and escape pain by indulging or over-indulging the natural human desires for eating food, being drunk or high, entertainment with movies, music and comedy. A famous saying which summarizes this methodology is “Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die”. This ultimately falls flat because to indulge in these pleasures requires time and money which the vast majority of humans do not have a great deal of, to acquire money requires work which requires time. This explains why only the rich and famous are attempting this lifestyle and they are self-admitted miserable wretches inside as they presumed that fame fortune eating drinking and being merry would make them truly happy and fulfilled only to discover that they are still miserable. It is for this reason that suicide and drug overdoses are rampant in the lives of celebrities and rock stars.
When faced with life’s difficulties, it is the methodology of the hedonist to run and hide in self-gratification as pain is evil to the hedonist. They run and hide from it by indulging in pleasure, self-indulgence, and self gratification until the distress has passed. There is a vulgar cliché among the hedonist which is “Party ‘til you puke!”. When they awake from their drunken hiding, the pain and difficulty remains which is why the hedonistic methodology leads to severe addiction and suicidal depression.
Determinism: The determinist believes that they must do good toward others so that they can experience good done to them. The opposite is also embraced by the determinist, if I do evil to someone then someone will do evil to me etc. There are certain groups within Christianity who live as “hard determinists” in that they believe that the God of the Bible determines even the most miniscule of all events, whether a natural catastrophe or a pencil rolled across a desk, all is “determined” in advance to happen in exactly that way. These groups are referred to as Calvinists or sometimes as “hyper” Calvinists as some Calvinists may not embrace this extreme determininist methodology. There are common phrases used by the determinist such as “everything happens for a reason” or “what goes around comes around” or “that’s the law of karma!”. In the hyper-Calvinist version it might be “That is the will of the Sovereign Lord”. There is a level of determinism communicated in Scripture as the Lord IS sovereign but he grants to humanity a great responsibility which when broken down means “able to provide a response” which would indicate that to at least some level, mankind makes choices for himself and which impact others regardless of “karma” or “fate” etc.
Utilitarianism: As this methodology involves being part of the world community, all methods of behavior must be to benefit the whole world community: We’re all in this together so roll up your sleeves and get to work. This can be considered to be the “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” methodology of neo-conservative communities who don’t necessarily embrace a biblical worldview but will nod approvingly at its mention. The Biblical methodology is one of a life of faith knowing that the God of the Bible is provider and sustainer and it is He who gives us the very ability to create wealth. Jesus tells His followers that the pagans chase after what they will wear or what they will eat and drink but that His followers are to “seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.” The utilitarian might respond to the Christian with an accusation that they are “so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good” or that “God helps those who help themselves” neither of which are in the Bible and are in fact contrary to a biblical methodology.
Secular Humanism: The secular humanist is obligated in his methodology to do kind, productive, good things toward others since he is only alive for a short time. It is his duty to behave this way as a member of the human race. This is a confusing methodology as it seems to embrace the moral values of Judaeo-Christian morality while denying the God which provided this moral framework in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. Typically what we see in the secular humanist is a sort of “go for the gusto” for one’s own life as this is all there is to the humanist.
In contrast to religious methodologies, the secular humanist/atheist when faced with life challenges or setbacks will not pray, but, like the hedonist, prefer to distract themselves with things of the world – music, movies, drink, smoke, eating, shopping etc. in an effort to escape life’s difficulties. It is also worth noting that there might be an embrace of the utilitarian or pragmatic methodologies in the form of throwing themselves into their work in an effort to cope.
Economic Materialism: This is very similar to hedonism in methodology in that the economic materialst reasons that they are only here on earth a short time so they must accumulate all the pleasurable items and objects that they can to facilitate a successful life. This is summarized by the cliché “He who dies with the most toys wins.”
Pragmatism: All that the pragmatist does is typically done to have a usefulness, productiveness, and practicality to it. Its a methodology to just “get things done” without being slowed down by “ideas and concepts” or “dreams and visions”.
As the pragmatist is primarily concerned with results rather than theories or ‘principles’ – his methodology will involve a practical way of thinking and approaching problems, he is concerned mostly with how a method is actually working and the net consequences for a particular action and thought. He employs constant re-evaluation of his methods and readjustment or reinvention to arrive at a satisfactory solution – its all about what works.
The bottom line: The downside to this worldview is that it can use people up and spit them out when they are no longer useful. The pragmatist is not concerned with the “morally right” or “ethically correct” as much as he is the “most efficient to accomplish the task” c.f. The National Football League or Political Parties of the U.S.
Animist – When facing life’s problems and difficulties, the animist goes to the Shaman to find out who put the curse on them or why the spirits are so angry at them. They do what they must to appease these angry spirits and attempt to make them happy again so that tribal life can be good again.
Hinduism – Like the animist (the early precursor of Hinduism) the Hindu burns incense to a shrine, large or small, of his own household god(s) asking for their protection. He also burns incense to Siva the god of destruction, just to keep him happy so that the Hindu’s life can be good again.
Idealism – This methodology is in contrast with “realism” or “pragmatism” in that it sets a focus to live or exist on a very high mark, standard, or principle (or even perfection). The idealist uses this high mark as a driver or motivator in completing otherwise mundane day to day tasks or even coping with setbacks. For example in communist Cambodia, Pol Pot may have tried to instil the ideal of a “prosperous state” in the minds of people that he was driving into the ground via slavery. The downside of this worldview is that it can tend to reject practical or pragmatic considerations in favor of the pursuit of the “ideal”. Head in the stars type of thinking while excluding what is “morally right” or “ethically correct”
Laissez-Faire – The laissez-faire methodology is usually closely aligned to one’s political philosophy which is usually laissez-faire itself. This methodology insists on personal freedom’s and liberties to formulate one’s own choices and actions. i.e. “Leave me alone, I’ll figure it out myself” or “Don’t tell me what to do!” are both laissez-faire attitudes toward ones methodological approach to life.
Eclecticism – Hodgepodge thinkers. A methodology which draws on a diverse set of ideas, approaches, and sources in order to arrive at a final solution. This is someone who might be all over the map politically in order to solve a problem. Religiously it is someone who might be referred to as a syncretist. It is derived from an ancient school of philosophers who refused to adhere to any one discipline of philosophy but instead they would pick and choose bits of each philosophical school to form their own school of the “eclectics”. This is also a form of asceticism whereby a beholder of art or music might consider themselves to be “eclectic”.
Asceticism – A methodical approach whereby the comforts and amenities of this world are typically viewed as “excess” and therefore evil. The response is usually a separatist and or monastic lifestyle to scorn the pleasures of this world in order to gain a greater appreciation for the spiritual pleasures and disciplines. Buddhist monks and medieval Christian monks are an example of the ascetic lifestyle. Because this comprises a methodology to material life, and a motivation with view to ethics and morality, it is also a sub-category of the methodology and the ethics/morality world view categories as well.
Various philosophical worldviews will always lead the inquisitor to the same questions:
It is for these questions that we have created this site that visitors may learn of the Biblical worldview which is the most correct and fully answers the three questions above.
Select the graphic below to be taken to a page to learn what the Biblical worldview is:
Now that you’ve examined various Methodology views, click on the icons below to take a look at the other elements that comprise a person’s world view:
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