We begin with two differing worldviews regarding nature. In general terms,“The
West emphasizescontrolof nature; the East emphasizesharmonywith nature.”^7 For
example, the Shinto religion encourages an aesthetic appreciation of nature in
which the focus is on reality and not heaven—a reality that makes nature supreme.
Shintoism prescribes an aesthetic love of the land. Every hill, lake, mountain, and
river is treasured. Cherry trees, shrines, and scenic resorts are indispensable to a full
life. People perceive them as lasting icons among which their ancestors lived and
died. People thus preserve nature so that nature can preserve the family.^8 When
examining the worldview of American Indians, yet another set of preconceptions
emerges regarding the universe and how people fit into that universe. In Western
logic and science, people move from the specific to the general. American Indians
begin with an apprehension of the whole (general) and move to specifics. This world-
view reasons that to the extent the universe is a whole, dimensions such as location
and time (both specific) become irrelevant. It is the“big picture”that gives meaning
to life, not the bits and pieces.^9
Another link between worldview and behavior can be seen in how a culture per-
ceives the business arena. In two classic texts, Weber’sThe Protestant Ethic and the
Spirit of Capitalismand Tawney’sReligion and the Rise of Capitalism, the bonds among
religion, commerce, and production are examined. In both of these historical works,
the authors conclude that there are connections among a culture’s history, religion,
and worldview. Bartels reaffirms these bonds as he writes,“The foundation of a
nation’s culture and the most important determinant of social and business conduct
are the religious and philosophical beliefs of a people. From these beliefs spring role
perceptions, behavior patterns, codes of ethics and the institutionalized manner in
which economic activities are performed.”^10 Even the way a culture engages in busi-
ness can reflect its worldview. If a culture values“out-of-awareness”processes and
intuitive problem solving, it might reach conclusions through processes much different
from a culture that values the scientific method. Nisbett summarizes these differences:
Thus, to the Asian, the world is a complex place, composed of continuous substances,
understandable in terms of the whole rather than in terms of the parts, and subject more to
collective than to personal control. To the Westerner, the world is a relatively simple place,
composed of discrete objects that can be understood without undue attention to context,
and highly subject to personal control. Very different worlds indeed.^11Constructs of Worldviews
We have already mentioned that worldview is at the heart of every culture, is transmitted
from generation to generation, is composed of many elements, and takes an assortment of
forms. Most of these forms can be classified intothree categories: (1) atheism, (2) spiritual-
ity, and (3) long-established religious traditions. These orientations obviously intersect on a
number of important questions. And in many instances, individuals select a portion of all
three orientations to construct their view of
reality. However, these three constructs
have dissimilar answers for inquiries concern-
ing life, death, human nature, and ways of
knowing. Let us briefly introduce these three
worldviews in general terms before explain-
ing religious traditions in more detail.REMEMBER THIS
Most of the forms and constructs of worldviews can be classi-
fied into three categories: (1) atheism (2) spirituality, and (3)
long-established religious traditions.Worldview: Cultural Explanations of Life and Death 105Copyright 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).