Each of the 12 worldviews can be described as cognitive processes for knowing the world because they each represent a distinct way in which individuals process information, understand reality, and acquire knowledge. Here is how each can be seen as a cognitive process in chapter 2, The Desire For Knowledge:
Materialist cognitive process: The materialist cognitive process focuses on thought to explain world phenomena. The 'self' is not given a separate influencing role in this conceptual framework. The understanding of the world is constructed in thought, setting aside the subjective aspects of the 'self' from influencing cognition.
Spiritist Cognitive Process: The Spiritualist regards world phenomena a product of spirit-mind and seeks to explain it with spiritualistic theory. The Spiritualist cognitive process involves looking inward, engaging in cognition that is introspective and metaphysical. Their understanding is rooted in the belief that there is a spiritual underpinning to all phenomena.
Realist Cognitive Process: Realists adopt a direct and experiential approach to cognition. They seek to understand the world by engaging with it firsthand, trusting that knowledge comes from active interaction with their environment. The Realist cognitive process values practical experience and evidence gathered through direct sensory engagement with the external world.
Idealist Cognitive Process: Idealists rely on a cognitive process that is conceptual and imaginative. They construct a mental picture of the world based on ideas, principles, and ideals, often without direct reference to empirical evidence. Idealists use thought and reason to form an understanding of the world that may not be immediately verifiable by practical experience, emphasizing the role of the mind in shaping one's reality.
The pursuit of knowledge in Chapter 2 is Transcendentalism. The pursuit of knowledge is felt to have a hidden, transcendent dimension that lies outside inner experience. Here are short statements of each worldview in Transcendentalism I am preparing for the chapter 2 modules. They begin to give a picture of thinking personality types at this stage. This has begun to be very helpful in understanding people I am in contact with. Right now I am staying with a Mathematist and a Dynamist and I also have learned a lot about my Psychist personality from these brief chapter 2 statements.
Materialism in Transcendentalism: When the worldview of Materialism aligns with Transcendentalism, the pursuit of knowledge is felt to have a hidden, transcendent dimension that lies outside inner experience and seems beyond grasp. The Materialist focuses on observable phenomena and attempts to transcend the world with thought. However, they struggle to comprehend the transcendent questions arising in thought because these questions fall outside their limited materialistic perspective. They shift the problem away from the Self’s own thought, leaving them dissatisfied and feeling separate from the world.
Spiritualism in Transcendentalism: When the worldview of Spiritualism aligns with Transcendentalism, the pursuit of knowledge is felt to have a hidden, transcendent dimension that lies outside inner experience and seems beyond grasp. The Spiritualist focuses on what is produced by the mind alone and attempts to transcend the world with spiritualistic theory. However, they struggle to adequately explain specific, concrete phenomena, as these transcendent aspects are not encompassed by their limited spiritualistic perspective, leaving them dissatisfied and feeling separate from the world.
Realism in Transcendentalism: When the worldview of Realism aligns with Transcendentalism, the pursuit of knowledge is felt to have a hidden, transcendent dimension that lies outside inner experience and seems beyond grasp. The Realist focuses on the external world and attempts to transcend the world by acquiring practical experience, adding content to the mind. However, they struggle to grasp the transcendent abstract concepts necessary for intentional action due to it being outside their limited realistic perspective, leaving them dissatisfied and feeling separate from the world.
Idealism in Transcendentalism: When the worldview of Idealism aligns with Transcendentalism, the pursuit of knowledge is felt to have a hidden, transcendent dimension that lies outside inner experience and seems beyond grasp. The Idealist focuses on the Ego and attempts to transcend the world with magnificent thought-pictures of the world. However, they struggle to acquire the transcendent mind content of practical experience, due to it being outside their limited idealistic perspective, leaving them dissatisfied and feeling separate from the world.
Mathematism in Transcendentalism: When the worldview of Mathematism aligns with Transcendentalism, the pursuit of knowledge is felt to have a hidden, transcendent dimension that lies outside inner experience and seems beyond grasp. The Mathematist focuses on the material world and ideas attempting to transcend the world with Materialistic Idealism by understanding the interplay between mind and matter. However, the paradoxical nature of perception emerges when attempting to explain thought as both a product and creator of material processes, highlighting the interdependent relationship between thought and material processes. The limitations of the Mathematism perspective, focusing on logic and quantification, struggles with the paradoxical nature of perception, finding it challenging to reconcile its subjective and interpretive aspects within a strictly mathematical framework, leaving them dissatisfied and feeling separate from the world.
Rationalism in Transcendentalism: When the worldview of Rationalism aligns with Transcendentalism, the pursuit of knowledge is felt to have a hidden, transcendent dimension that lies outside inner experience and seems beyond grasp. The Rationalist attempts to transcend the world by seeking to understand it in terms of fundamental, indivisible units that constitute both matter and mind. This approach involves reducing complex phenomena to their most basic elements, aiming to discover a unified principle or essence that underlies both the physical (matter) and the non-physical (mind) aspects of reality. However, they encounter difficulties in resolving how this indivisible unity manifests as both matter and mind. The challenge of comprehending transcendent mental states, such as consciousness and cognition, through purely physical terms highlights the limitations of the rationalistic perspective. This difficulty in bridging the gap between the physical and the mental shifts the original problem of consciousness to a different context, leaving them dissatisfied and feeling separate from the world.
Psychism in Transcendentalism: When the worldview of Psychism aligns with Transcendentalism, the pursuit of knowledge is felt to have a hidden, transcendent dimension that lies outside inner experience and seems beyond grasp. The Psychist focuses on the polarity of consciousness and attempts to transcend the world by establishing a contrast between the Self and the World. Due to the initial limits of the Psychist’s perspective, they break away from the world by contrasting themselves in opposition to it, leaving them dissatisfied and feeling separate from the world. However, by recognizing the self as both a distinct entity and integrally connected to the broader world, a feeling of unity and reconciliation can be achieved. This shift in understanding bridges the gap between the inner experience of selfhood and the external reality, leading to a more harmonious and unified perspective.
Pneumatism in Transcendentalism: When the worldview of Pneumatism aligns with Transcendentalism, the pursuit of knowledge is felt to have a hidden, transcendent dimension that lies outside inner experience and seems beyond grasp. The Pneumatist initially experiences feelings of being estranged from nature, leaving them dissatisfied and feeling separate from the world. However, they transcend this disconnection by focusing on a deep, intuitive feeling of unity with nature. This feeling becomes a guide, leading to the emergence of knowledge about nature's external workings, which ultimately reconnects the Pneumatist with the world. This approach reflects a harmonious balance between inner experience and the outer reality of nature, recognizing the feeling of unity with nature as a crucial aspect of understanding and belonging.
Monadism in Transcendentalism: When the worldview of Monadism aligns with Transcendentalism, the pursuit of knowledge is felt to have a hidden, transcendent dimension that lies outside inner experience and seems beyond grasp. Initially the Monadist feels alienated and disconnected from the world due to their unique thought system. In their effort to bridge the gap between their internal thoughts and the external world, they try to force a connection, yet this approach does not yield satisfaction and instead perpetuates their sense of disconnection. This struggle underscores the difficulty in harmonizing a Monadistic perspective with the external reality. However, resolution comes from an inward search for the essence of nature, which ultimately leads to rediscovering their connection with the world. This inward journey marks a significant shift from feeling isolated to reconnecting with the broader reality, illustrating a profound transformation in the Monadist's understanding and relationship with the world.
Dynamism in Transcendentalism: When the worldview of Dynamism aligns with Transcendentalism, the pursuit of knowledge is felt to have a hidden, transcendent dimension that lies outside inner experience and seems beyond grasp. The Dynamist initially focuses on the individual self ("Here I am merely 'I'"), leaving them dissatisfied and feeling separate from the world. However, as the Dynamist delves deeper into self-investigation, they reach a point of realization that there is "something more than ‘I’." This realization of a greater force or essence leads to a sense of unity with the world, transcending a limited perspective to uncovering a broader, more interconnected understanding of existence. This shift from a self-centric view to recognizing a connection with something greater illustrates a significant transformation in the Dynamist's pursuit of knowledge and relationship with the world.
Phenomenalism in Transcendentalism: When the worldview of Phenomenalism aligns with Transcendentalism, the pursuit of knowledge is felt to have a hidden, transcendent dimension that lies outside inner experience and seems beyond grasp. The Phenomenalist, initially engrossed in the results of scientific materialism and academic discourse, experiences dissatisfaction and a feeling of separation. However, by turning their focus to simple, direct descriptions of personal conscious experience and using terminology solely for clarifying actual facts, the Phenomenalist cultivates a feeling of unity with the world.
Sensationalism in Transcendentalism: When the worldview of Sensationalism aligns with Transcendentalism, the pursuit of knowledge is felt to have a hidden, transcendent dimension that lies outside inner experience and seems beyond grasp. Often criticized for not being scientific, the Sensationalist shifts away from the stringent categorizations of science towards a more experiential approach to knowledge. By focusing on the direct recording of everyday life experiences and prioritizing personal experience of consciousness over scientific interpretations, the Sensationalist moves towards a more immediate and intimate connection with the world. This approach, centered on personal sensory experiences and moment-to-moment awareness, helps bridge the gap between the individual and the world, counteracting feelings of dissatisfaction and separation that arise from ignoring these personal experiences in favor of strictly scientific views.
Comments