Evolving Paradigms Van Sell

1
Evolving Paradigms Van Sell

• Nursing's worldview has shifted from a Descartes
  mechanistic one to a holistic evolving
  ecological worldview
• Kuhn defined a Paradigm as a constellation of
  achievements concept, values, techniques, etc.
  shared by a scientific community and used by that
  community to define legitimate problems and
  solutions.

2
Three Paradigms in Nursing

• Mechanical Paradigm based on reductionism, body
  as machine, gender inequality, mechanical
  universe, focus on disease, now receding
• Holistic Paradigm based on wholism, body as
  holistic (body, mind, heart, spirit), equality
  for all, integrated whole universe, focus on
  health balance, euda imonistic, now shifting
• Deep Ecological Paradigm focuses on the
  interdependence of all, views nature as context,
  exocentric, now evolving

3
Basic Beliefs - Leffel

• Human history is the story of people seeking
  answers to questions that only beings aware of
  their own existence could ask. These questions
  relate to the meaning of life, the inevitability
  of death, the rules governing society, the nature
  of reality and so on. These are the concerns that
  force us into forming basic beliefs.

4
Foundational Ideas in Beliefs

• Reality What exists? What is the nature of
  reality? Affects all other beliefs.
• Human Nature Who am I? What is the nature of
  human beings? Do we have purpose? What direction
  are we going in?
• Values What is the nature of goodness? What is
  our moral responsibility? What are our life
  goals?
• Truth What is the nature of knowledge? We all
  think our beliefs are true.

5
3 Basic Worldviews

• Theism Monotheism - there is 1 God - are 2
  realms (material spiritual) reality is grounded
  in an infinite, personal and transcendent God
• Naturalism Only the material natural realm is
  real. Science can unlock the mysteries of the
  universe. Humans are simply biology.
• Pantheism Only the spiritual (energy) realm is
  real. All are one, reality is unity.

6

• YOUR WORLD VIEW
• The elements of one's worldview, the beliefs
  about certain aspects of Reality, are one's
• EPISTEMOLOGY beliefs about the nature and
  sources of knowledge
• METAPHYSICS beliefs about the ultimate nature
  of Reality
• COSMOLOGY beliefs about the origins and
  nature of the universe, life, and especially
  Man
• TELEOLOGY beliefs about the meaning and
  purpose of the universe, its inanimate
  elements, and its inhabitants
• THEOLOGY beliefs about the existence and
  nature of God
• ANTROPOLOGY beliefs about the nature and
  purpose of Man in general and, oneself in
  particular
• AXIOLOGY beliefs about the nature of value,
  what is good and bad, what is right and wrong.

7
PERSONAL WORLDVIEW
8
WORLDVIEW IN CONTEXT
9
WORTH EXAMINING

• Your worldview -- anyone's worldview -- is too
  important to ignore. If there is such a thing as
  obligation, we as knowing, thinking beings have
  an obligation to examine, articulate, refine,
  communicate, and consciously and consistently
  apply our worldviews. To fail to do so is to be
  something less than human. Socrates, during his
  trial for being impious to the Greek gods and
  corrupting the youth of Athens by his teachings,
  said "... the unexamined life is not worth living
  ..." (Plato, Apology).
  - Ken Funk, 2001

10
WHAT IS YOUR WORLDVIEW?

• Click to Explore
• Your Own
• Worldview

What is Your Worldview?