Your Worldview

[lunamoth]

Hmmm...have I asked this before?

Do you see the universe as basically benevolent toward humans, neutral, or basically threatening toward humans?

Why?

 

[Djamila]

Neutral.

 

[lunamoth]

The fourth poll choice should say "Other or combinations of the above."

Apologies!

 

[lunamoth]

Neutral.

Djamila, thank you for answering. Do you see Allah as playing any role in the relationship of humans to the universe?

 

[Tigress]

Neutral. I don't think the universe concerns itself much with humans either way.

 

[Djamila]

Djamila, thank you for answering. Do you see Allah as playing any role in the relationship of humans to the universe?

Yes, I think God does - even if it's only through our intentions when we interact with others and the world around us.

But I think... we have free will, and part of that entails the universe being neutral towards us in my mind.

 

[lunamoth]

Neutral. I don't think the universe concerns itself much with humans either way.

I'll pose the same question as I did to Mila...do you see any role for God in the interaction between humans and the universe?

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I chose neutral.

As emotional beings, with an intense instinct of self-preservation, living in a universe that is deterministic and fraught with constant change makes us view things as positive and negative depending on how it affects our lives and emotions.

 

[Booko]

Sign me up for neutral.

I'm not sure I could exactly explain why, though.

 

[Tigress]

I'll pose the same question as I did to Mila...do you see any role for God in the interaction between humans and the universe?

Possibly, though I'm not quite sure how to answer that as a Pantheist.

 

[lunamoth]

Sign me up for neutral.

I'm not sure I could exactly explain why, though.

Do you feel that there is a positive force encouraging us toward virtue operating in the universe? As above, do you see a benevolent God Who desires to see humans progress and succeed, however you might define success?

BTW, thank you to everyone who answers and any of the questions I pose are for consideration by all...

 

[lunamoth]

I chose neutral.

As emotional beings, with an intense instinct of self-preservation, living in a universe that is deterministic and fraught with constant change makes us view things as positive and negative depending on how it affects our lives and emotions.

Do you think that a neutral worldview results in a feeling that one must create one's own security...and so push us toward materialism or some other way of establishing security?

 

[Hirohito18200]

Since as organisms we have the impulse to survive and procreate... our inevitable destruction brought on by the universe would make it a negative. Of course this isn't a *deliberate willing* of the universe, but simply a contrast between our desire for life and the reality of death.

my2cents

 

[lunamoth]

Since as organisms we have the impulse to survive and procreate... our inevitable destruction brought on by the universe would make it a negative. Of course this isn't a *deliberate willing* of the universe, but simply a contrast between our desire for life and the reality of death.

my2cents

Can't beat entropy forever, eh?

How do you think this kind of worldview affects one's life? Does it make us try to go for as much happiness and joy and perhaps material wealth as we can? Does it feel exhilarating or fearful?

 

[eudaimonia]

Do you see the universe as basically benevolent toward humans, neutral, or basically threatening toward humans?

Benevolent.

But not out of any conscious will, but by the fact that human reason and will opens the universe up to positive human values.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Hirohito18200]

Can't beat entropy forever, eh?

How do you think this kind of worldview affects one's life? Does it make us try to go for as much happiness and joy and perhaps material wealth as we can? Does it feel exhilarating or fearful?

It can be handled in a variety of ways. You can easily fit it into a Christian world view, given the corruption of nature etc. and the pervasiveness of sin.

From a secular perspective, it can either inspire to a lifestyle of Epicureanism or one of despondency/suicide.

Inevitable doom isn't the problem so much as losing motivation to continue to exist. It's hard for me personally to be afraid of non-existence since it's not something that I can easily fathom. If I choose to live a full life, it's simply because I have a desire to, notwithstanding my oh-so-terrible fate.

 

[Comprehend]

positive. - I think God created the universe for us, and I think God loves us. So I would reason that the universe is a positive thing for us.

 

[YmirGF]

My worldview is most definitely positive. I "see" god in all that surrounds me, even the so-called bad or "naughty" stuff. I would like to think that overall I am incredibly optimistic about the future of the human animal... though I may not sound like it at times when I am ranting, lol.

 

[IronicallyTwisted]

Mixed.

The universe simply exists. It does not have a concious ability to delve down any particular path concerning its stance on us as a species.

On the other hand, the Universe is so capable of ending our existance with an event so uneventful in the grand scheme of things as to be cruel.

 

[michel]

My worldview is most definitely positive. I "see" god in all that surrounds me, even the so-called bad or "naughty" stuff. I would like to think that overall I am incredibly optimistic about the future of the human animal... though I may not sound like it at times when I am ranting, lol.

Although I voted "Neutral" I agree with your post Paul. The question, as it was phrased, was

Do you see the universe as basically benevolent toward humans, neutral, or basically threatening toward humans?

And whilst I would be the first one to agree that God is all around us, and I see him in everything, I feel that the universe is "neutral", in that it is neither good, nor bad; we are the ones that make it one way or the other.