According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary minds-set is; "A particular way of thinking: a person's attitude or set of opinions about something." Now, this is a good definition for mindset, but without any application/example it is really hard to fully understand the power of mindset. Mindset shapes your framework for HOW you do life. How you think, how you interact with people, how you accomplish things, and whether or not you accomplish things.
The Merriam-Webster's definition for worldview is, "The way someone thinks about the world." however, this simple definition is not very helpful. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry gives a much more comprehensive definition of Worldview: "A worldview is a set of beliefs and assumptions that a person uses when interpreting the world around him. A worldview deals with issues like, what are we? Were we created, or did we evolve? What is our purpose in life? Does God exist?" etc. etc. This definition gives us a much better look at what worldview actually is. World, helps you interpret your world around you. It gives you guidance, and supplies you with a construct for morality, and truth. For example, if you have a pragmatic worldview, you will assume truth to be whatever it most helpful to your current situation and truth can change. If you believe in a Coherent worldview, then truth is not relative to you, rather truth is beyond you, and you are bound by it. You do not define your own truth, rather truth defines, how you react and respond to different things. Coherence also means that truth is logical, and not based on a whim.
Now that we have some working definitions of what mindset is, and what worldview is...? For starters every single one of us, has both. We have a worldview and we have a mindset. However, your worldview will help to shape the mindset that you have. Since I have defined them in this order, it would make sense that I address Worldview before Mindset.
Worldview influences everything you see in the world, and how you see the world. It informs your beliefs, but often times in very interconnected with your beliefs. For example, if you want an effective, and dynamic worldview it needs to be logically consistent. If you have contradicting beliefs, you will eventually run into problems because you will realize, the root of your thinking does not make sense. If your worldview cannot make for your internal beliefs, there is no way it will make sense of the world you live in. In short, your worldview must be logically consistent.
Secondly, your worldview will define, your stance on many different issues, and how you respond to different stimuli. For example, a very basic belief that informs your worldview is whether or not God exists and how he is involved in our human world. If you are an atheist it will drastically change how you answer all philosophical, and ontological questions. Comparatively if you have a traditional biblical worldview it will also change how you view the world, and all that is in it, as well as how you define your purpose for life.
The biggest problem with many people in our culture today, is a denial of absolute truth. Many people hold to a more pragmatic view of truth because it is convenient... Not because it is consistent or logically stable. pragmatic truth, is the idea that truth is truth as long as it is practical and the most effective view at the current moment. The ominous issue with this theory of truth is because you are stating an absolute while denying an absolute truth, which is just as logically sound as stating that one plus one is now two-hundred and fifty. The point is this philosophy should be rejected simply on the basis that it is not logically consistent.
From the beginning of your intellectual life, you will have to decide what your worldview is going to be and once you have established your worldview then you can began to delve into more about your individual person, your likes, dislikes, and what morality you hold to. However, the challenge is to stay consistent, and not contradictory.
In the second part of this series I will discuss the import of Mindset, and how that shapes your personality, as well as how you stay motivated.
Worldview influences everything you see in the world, and how you see the world. It informs your beliefs, but often times in very interconnected with your beliefs. For example, if you want an effective, and dynamic worldview it needs to be logically consistent. If you have contradicting beliefs, you will eventually run into problems because you will realize, the root of your thinking does not make sense. If your worldview cannot make for your internal beliefs, there is no way it will make sense of the world you live in. In short, your worldview must be logically consistent.
Secondly, your worldview will define, your stance on many different issues, and how you respond to different stimuli. For example, a very basic belief that informs your worldview is whether or not God exists and how he is involved in our human world. If you are an atheist it will drastically change how you answer all philosophical, and ontological questions. Comparatively if you have a traditional biblical worldview it will also change how you view the world, and all that is in it, as well as how you define your purpose for life.
The biggest problem with many people in our culture today, is a denial of absolute truth. Many people hold to a more pragmatic view of truth because it is convenient... Not because it is consistent or logically stable. pragmatic truth, is the idea that truth is truth as long as it is practical and the most effective view at the current moment. The ominous issue with this theory of truth is because you are stating an absolute while denying an absolute truth, which is just as logically sound as stating that one plus one is now two-hundred and fifty. The point is this philosophy should be rejected simply on the basis that it is not logically consistent.
From the beginning of your intellectual life, you will have to decide what your worldview is going to be and once you have established your worldview then you can began to delve into more about your individual person, your likes, dislikes, and what morality you hold to. However, the challenge is to stay consistent, and not contradictory.
In the second part of this series I will discuss the import of Mindset, and how that shapes your personality, as well as how you stay motivated.
