Transcript What is a worldview? - Springer Static Content Server

Supplementary Material for Chapter 4
An Introductory Examination of Worldviews and Why They
Matter For Environmental and Sustainability Studies
This chapter is published as:
Byrne LB. 2016. An Introductory Examination of Worldviews and Why They Matter For Environmental and
Sustainability Studies. In: Byrne L (ed) Learner-Centered Teaching Activities for Environmental and
Sustainability Studies. Springer, New York. DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-28543-6_4
Loren B. Byrne
Department of Biology, Marine Biology & Environmental Science, Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI USA
[email protected]
This file contains the following supplementary material:
 B: Presentation slides
This chapter also has the following supplementary material, available on the chapter’s website:
 A: Additional background resources
 C: Photos of eyeglasses and students wearing them
Notes to Instructors:
These slides are suggestive for how to structure an introductory
conversation about worldviews. They are not intended to be
comprehensive; they were designed for a Socratic style of
lecture/discussion that engages students in reflection and
contributions.
The exercise with the funny glasses described in the chapter’s
main text can be done on slide 5 (with the dog image), after an
introductory definition is provided.
Alternatively, the activity can be completed after more
introduction is provided.
Please adjust the slides to suit your teaching style and needs.
How does belief differ from
knowledge?
I know something …
vs
I believe something …
What value does each have in our
personal lives & in society?
oto source: Clayton800
blic domain image from:
ps://pixabay.com/en/lawn-caren-maintenance-643556/
How might a person’s beliefs
affect the environment?
What is a worldview?
Source: Danihee
Creative Commons Image,
without modification, from:
http://danihee.deviantart.com/a
rt/Dog-with-glasses-307795151
A simple worldview framework
a person’s “cognitive framework” that
influences their interpretations, behaviors, etc.
Worldview
(Individual)
Ideas,
Knowledge,
Beliefs, Values
Where do our beliefs come from?
What influences our worldviews?
Note to instructor:
This space is blank to allow for a list to be generated by
students.
If the projector screen is in front of a board to write on, the
black allows for the screen to be lifted and writing to be done
while the slides are still projected. Adjust this space to meet
the needs of your classroom.
A simple worldview framework
Cultural Paradigm
(Shared)
Worldview
(Individual)
Personal
experiences
Ideas,
Knowledge,
Beliefs, Values
Societal
Norms
Norms
“No person
is an island”
Source: Qwertyxp2000
Creative Commons image from:
https://commons.wikimedia.org
/wiki/File:Spam_can.png
Note to instructors: This news story about different cultural views of Spam provides an
interesting example for applying the worldview concept
•
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/27/world/asia/in-south-korea-spam-is-thestuff-gifts-are-made-of.html
“Ok, but what’s all this got to
do with sustainability?
Why are we talking about this
in this class?”
“Belief In Climate Change Hinges on Worldview”
by Christopher Joyce, NPR, Feb 2010
“Facts may not be as important
as one's beliefs”
Instructor’s note:
Insert photo of Donald
Braman here, e.g.,
from:
http://www.law.gwu.e
du/Faculty/profile.aspx
?id=10123
Dan Kahan
Yale Law School
Source: BDEngler
Public domain image from:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CSICON_2012179-Science_%26_Public_Policy_4-Daniel_Kahan.JPG
Don Braman
GWU Law School
“Belief In Climate Change Hinges on Worldview”
by Christopher Joyce, NPR, Feb 2010
“Facts may not be as important
as one's beliefs”
"People tend to conform their
"People tend
to conform
their
factual
factual
beliefs
to ones
that
are
beliefs to ones that are consistent with
consistent
with their
… view,"
their cultural outlook,
their world
world view."
Dan Kahan
Yale Law School
Instructor’s note:
Insert photo of Donald
Braman here, e.g.,
from:
http://www.law.gwu.e
du/Faculty/profile.aspx
?id=10123
“The reason that people react in a
close-minded way to information
is that the implications of it
threaten their values."
Don Braman
GWU Law School
Pew Research Poll:
Source:
http://www.peoplepress.org/2012/10/15/mor
e-say-there-is-solidevidence-of-globalwarming/
Is there solid
evidence for global warming?
Political
worldviews
influence
the way
people
“see” the
world!
People’s worldviews influence how they
view environmental and sustainability issues
Instructor’s note: Insert photo of
the cover of the book “Green Hell:
How Environmentalists Plan to
Control Your Life and What You Can
Do to Stop Them”, e.g., from:
http://www.amazon.com/GreenHell-Environmentalists-PlanControl/dp/1596985852
Instructor’s note: Insert photo of
the cover of the book “Global
Warming and Other Eco Myths:
How the Environmental Movement
Uses False Science to Scare Us to
Death”, e.g., from:
http://www.amazon.com/GlobalWarming-Other-MythsEnvironmental/dp/0761536604
Why are there so many diverse
beliefs & worldviews in society?
Is this a “good” or “bad” thing?
Public domain image from: http://www.public-domain-image.com/free-images/people/crowd/purpose-of-these-meetings-is-to-collect-community-concerns-and-
Given the diversity of worldviews, how can
we engage in constructive dialogue to
promote sustainability?
How can we disagree without being disagreeable?
Public domain image from: http://www.public-domain-image.com/free-images/people/crowd/purpose-of-these-meetings-is-to-collect-community-concerns-and-