SESSION 8 WORLDVIEWS AND IDEOLOGIES Philosophical Worldviews Social

SESSION 8 WORLDVIEWS AND IDEOLOGIES • Philosophical Worldviews • Social Ideologies

SESSION 8 A WORLDVIEW PERSPECTIVES ? The Ineffable, Encompassing Mystery of “Prime Reality” Pantheism (All) Monotheism (One) Gnostic & Agnostic Polytheism (Many) Atheism (None) ?

WORLDVIEW PERSPECTIVES The Ineffable and Encompassing Mystery of “Prime Reality” ? ? Idealism Dualism Finitude: The Limits of Human Knowledge Physicalism Panpsychism ? ?

WORLDVIEW PERSPECTIVES The Ineffable, Encompassing Mystery of “Prime Reality” ? Primacy of Mind ? Dual: Mind/Matter Finitude: The Limits of Human Knowledge Integral: Mind. Primacy of Matter ? ?

WORLDVIEW PERSPECTIVES The Ineffable, Encompassing Mystery of “Prime Reality” ? ? Intuitionism Rationalism Finitude: The Limits of Human Knowledge Aestheticism ? Scientism ?

WORLDVIEW PERSPECTIVES The Ineffable, Encompassing Mystery of “Prime Reality” ? ? Pre-Modernism Traditionalism Finitude and the Limits of Human Knowledge Post-Modernism ?

WORLDVIEW PERSPECTIVES The Ineffable, Encompassing Mystery of “Prime Reality” ? One Reconciled One Divine Self Finitude: The Limits of Human Knowledge Many Constructed One Biological Self Selves ? ? ?

WORLDVIEW PERSPECTIVES Left: Feminine Pantheism: All Henotheism Dialectical Center Pan-en-theism Right: Masculine Monotheism: One Deism Gnosis & Agnostic Polytheism: Esotericism Atheism: None What happens when each of these worldview perspectives enters. Many into critically reflective debate and constructive dialogue with each other? What ought to be the optimal desired motive and outcome?

THE PARADOXICAL WISDOM OF THE EAST • Private • Feminine • Rural • Emptiness • No Self • Imperman ce • Fullness • True Self • Essence Taoist Hindu Buddhist Confucian • Public • Masculine Urban

INTERPRETIVE THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS WITHIN THE THREE MAJOR WESTERN RELIGIONS Interpretatio 1. Judaism ns: A. Historical Moses 2. Christianity Jesus 3. Islam Mohammed B. Spiritual The Liberator The Redeemer The Prophet C. Literal Historical/Myt hic Special Revelation Prophetic Eschatology Mystical Messianic Eschatology Mystical Apocalyptic Eschatology Mystical D. Symbolic E. Exoteric F. Esoteric

THE WORLDVIEW PERSPECTIVES WITHIN DIFFERENT HISTORICAL AGES Pre-Modern: Mystical Modern: Empirical Post-Modern: Constructivist Trans-Modern: Pragmatic Symbolic, Sagacious, Prophetic, Rational, Skeptical, Naturalistic, Eclectic, Ironic, Whimsical, Existential, Pragmatic, Pluralistic, Q. What difference does it make for inter-worldview dialogue whether our given epistemological approach is pre-modern, post-modern or trans-modern? Q. Why do these given epistemological approaches go on

THE WORLDVIEW PERSPECTIVES WITHIN DIFFERENT HISTORICAL AGES Pre-Modern: Mystical Modern: Empirical Post-Modern: Constructivist Trans-Modern: Pragmatic Symbolic, Sagacious, Prophetic, Rational, Skeptical, Naturalistic, Eclectic, Ironic, Whimsical, Existential, Pragmatic, Pluralistic, Q. What difference does it make for inter-worldview dialogue whether we interpret various worldview assumptions, beliefs, visions and values LITERALLY, SYMBOLICALLY, METAPHORICALLY OR MYTHICALLY? Q. What happens when the question shifts from what is

WHAT HAPPENS TO “INTERFAITH DIALOGUE” WHEN WISDOM TRADITIONS ARE ASKING ESSENTIALLY DIFFERENT QUESTIONS…AND DON’T KNOW IT? • Sagacious: How does one live a whole, balanced, noble and humane life? • Shamanic: How does one “travel psychically” between the worlds, bringing back gifts of insight to the community? • Prophetic: How does one seek justice, love mercy and practice reverence for life? • Mystical: How does one experience Non-Dual Contemplative or Ecstatic Unitive Consciousness?

WHAT HAPPENS TO “INTER-DISCIPLINARY DIALOGUE” WHEN THE DOMAINS ARE ASKING DIFFERENT QUESTIONS? • Philosophical: What can we know about reality through rational thought? • Historical: What are the events of history and how do we make sense of it all? • Literary: What are the uses of setting, character, narrative and metaphors? • Artistic: What are the meaning and significance of music and the fine arts? • Scientific: What can we know through observing, counting and measuring?

THE CULTURAL SHIFT FROM CHRISTIAN THEISM TO SPIRITUALITY AND SECULARITY IN WESTERN SOCIETY • Orthodox Christianity: Theism: One Sovereign, Loving, Just, Personal God; Man Created, Fallen, Redeemed, Transfigured • Christian Pantheism: All is Divine, or Part of the Divine, the One Trans-Personal Creative Principle • Christian Deism: Impersonal, Rational Divine Benevolence • Christian Liberalism: Universal Inclusive Kindness and Mercy • Pan-en-theism: All is In God; God is in All; God is Emergent • Cx Radicalism: Non-Realism: God-Talk is Symbolic,

THE CULTURAL SHIFT FROM CHRISTIAN THEISM TO SPIRITUALITY AND SECULARITY IN WESTERN SOCIETY • Eclectic Spirituality: Therapeutic Techniques for Healing • Religious Naturalism: The Wonder, Awe, Grandeur and Beauty of Nature Is Enough – within the context of scientific materialism • Secular Materialism: Utilitarian Focus on Business, Finance, Politics, Military, Science, Technology, News, Entertainment • Existentialism: Seeking Meaning in an Indifferent Universe • Constructive and Destructive Nihilism: Nature and Humans Create and Destroy; Symbiosis and Predation are both the Way of Nature. “Reality” is

WORLDVIEW PERSPECTIVES WHAT IS THE FUNDAMENTAL NATURE OF REALITY? Dual-Aspect Monism Mind-In-Matter: Aristotle Meta-physical Idealism Mind-Is-Primal: Plato Living the Question? Mind-Body Dualism Two-Realities: Descartes Physical Materialism Matter-Is-Primal: Lucretius

EPISTEMOLOGICAL WAYS OF KNOWING “WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY & THEY ARE PARTLY RIGHT!” Spirit: Sacred Mind: Reason Science Philosopher’s Gift Mystic’s Gift Inclusive Pluralism Or Exclusive Choices? Body: Senses Soul: Feeling Scientist’s Gift Shaman’s Gift

SESSION 8 B SOCIAL IDEOLOGIES Conservative: Tradition Liberal: Progress Unity & Plurality Communitarian: Community Libertarian: Individuality

THE SOCIAL IDEOLOGIES Left Center Right Liberal Government <Insiders> Conservative Corporations Community, Public Sector “The Commons” Social Sector Individual, Private Sector Communitarian Communes <Outsiders> Libertarian Compounds Progress & Tradition Occupy vs. Tea Party

ARE CRITICAL REFECTION, CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE, MUTUAL RESPECT AND CIVIL SOCIETY POSSIBLE? Identical Correspondence (Absorption) A & B correspond identically to each other, saying the same thing in different symbolic language, as in “syncretism” Comparative Correlation (Dialogue) Totally Incommensurable (Polarization) A & B have partial A & B are so comparative radically different correlations with from each other as each other without to be beyond all being either totally comparative identical or totally correlation or incompatible search for common ground

THE WISDOM OF THE POST-MODERN IRONIST -RICHARD RORTY, CONTINGENCY, IRONY & SOLIDARITY 1. “She has radical and continuing doubts about the final vocabulary she currently uses, because she has been impressed by other vocabularies, vocabularies taken as final by people or books she has encountered; 2. “She realizes that argument phrased in her present vocabulary can neither underwrite nor dissolve these doubts;

THE WISDOM OF THE POST-MODERN IRONIST -RICHARD RORTY, CONTINGENCY, IRONY & SOLIDARITY 3. “Insofar as she philosophizes about her situation, she does not think that her vocabulary is (necessarily) closer to reality than others, that it is in touch with a power not herself. ” • A Post-Modern Ironist will tend to believe the Conservative, Liberal, Libertarian and Communitarian social philosophies might each be “partly right” and “pragmatically useful” within various social, economic, and political contexts. It is comfortable with paradox.

THE FOURTH HORIZON: TECHNOLOGY, ENTERTAINMENT, DESIGN

THE FOUR HORIZONS EXPANDING OUR PERCEIVED REALITY (“UMVELT”) Transcenden ce Humanit y 1 3 4 2 Technology Nature

EXPANDING OUR “WISDOM” VOCABULARY • Arete: Excellence in all human endeavors • Eudemonia: Happiness and human flourishing • Autodidact: Self-directed life-long learner • Polymath: Knowledgeable in many domains • Savant: a person of profound or extensive learning; a scholar with

CULTIVATING PRIMAL WISDOM PRACTICES • Nature, Silence, Solitude, Contemplation, Reading, Journal-Writing, Creative Writing, Music, Art, Poetry, Story-Telling, Walking, Movement, Drama, Dance, Traveling, Conversation, Community, Celebration, Gardening, Cooking, Hospitality, Service, etc. … • What are your primal wisdom practices?

ABOUT VILLA SOPHIA • VILLA SOPHIA is a Wisdom Community that explores the integral values of spirituality, wholeness, creativity, education, leadership and service, weaving them together into a transformative way of living in today's world. • It seeks to make meaningful connections between “the four horizons” of transcendence, nature, humanity and technology.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: RICH LANG Villa Sophia Wisdom Community ~ 1107 Holton Road, Talent, OR 97540 Cell Phone: 541 -941 -4394 Email: worldsmany 2@live. com Web/Blog: villasophiasalon. wordpress. com