Author: Shelley Ashdown, Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics, Dallas, Texas,
United States of America
Email: shelley_ashdown@gial.edu
Published: October 16, 2017
https://doi.org/10.22492/ijcs.2.2.06
Citation: Ashdown, S. (2017). The Analysis of Personal Supernaturalism Using World View Theory. IAFOR Journal of Cultural Studies, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.22492/ijcs.2.2.06
Abstract
This paper proposes using universal categories of world view theory as an analytical model to answer the question, what do people believe about personal supernaturalism? The model presented here examines how people conceptualize the supernatural in a scheme with six methodological questions corresponding to six primary themes associated with world view universal categories, including: 1) Self, the Issue of Life Force; 2) Other, the Issue of Earthly Other; 3) Relationship, the Issue of Life Experience; 4) Classification, the Issue of Spiritual/Moral Capacity; 5) Causality, the Issue of Causal Means; and 6) Time & Space, the Issue of Destiny. Notions concerning aspects of world view hold fundamental meaning for assumptions and beliefs concerning the supernatural and offer specific data by which comparison between diverse belief systems may be accomplished. It is hoped the methodological questions posed in this paper will aid research in religious studies and, in particular, personal supernaturalism.
Keywords
world view, supernaturalism, religion, categories, research methodology