Contrast of Worldview Philosophies

African and European

Orville Boyd Jenkins

Copyright © 1991, 2004 Orville Boyd Jenkins

 Contrast of Worldview Philosophies –
African and European
Orville Boyd Jenkins
AFRICAN EUROPEAN

Religious – God the Creator (though far away). All Secular – A set order in the universe, independent
things are related. existence, naturalistic view.
 Contrast of Worldview Philosophies – African and
European
Orville Boyd Jenkins
AFRICAN EUROPEAN

Religious – God the Creator (though far away). All Secular – A set order in the universe, independent
things are related. existence, naturalistic view.

Spirit-World – Many factors in life cannot be known, Scientific Approach – Describe, Control, Manipulate;
controlled or predicted. Humans are at the mercy of the Change your destiny. Aggressive. Frustration with
forces of life. Resignation to conditions. failure.
 Contrast of Worldview Philosophies – African and
European
Orville Boyd Jenkins
AFRICAN EUROPEAN

Religious – God the Creator (though far away). All Secular – A set order in the universe, independent
things are related. existence, naturalistic view.

Spirit-World – Many factors in life cannot be known, Scientific Approach – Describe, Control, Manipulate;
controlled or predicted. Humans are at the mercy of the Change your destiny. Aggressive. Frustration with
forces of life. Resignation to conditions. failure.

Dynamic – An active world seen in relational terms. Mechanical – Static, Cause-effect. Linear concepts.
Productivity; Organization.
 Contrast of Worldview Philosophies – African and
European
Orville Boyd Jenkins
AFRICAN EUROPEAN

Religious – God the Creator (though far away). All Secular – A set order in the universe, independent
things are related. existence, naturalistic view.

Spirit-World – Many factors in life cannot be known, Scientific Approach – Describe, Control, Manipulate;
controlled or predicted. Humans are at the mercy of the Change your destiny. Aggressive. Frustration with
forces of life. Resignation to conditions. failure.

Dynamic – An active world seen in relational terms. Mechanical – Static, Cause-effect. Linear concepts.
Productivity; Organization.

Relationship – Truth is in Experience and Knowledge – Facts are important. Truth is in

Relationship. correlation of statement to observable, testable
phenomena.
 Contrast of Worldview Philosophies – African and
European
Orville Boyd Jenkins
AFRICAN EUROPEAN

Religious – God the Creator (though far away). All Secular – A set order in the universe, independent
things are related. existence, naturalistic view.

Spirit-World – Many factors in life cannot be known, Scientific Approach – Describe, Control, Manipulate;
controlled or predicted. Humans are at the mercy of the Change your destiny. Aggressive. Frustration with
forces of life. Resignation to conditions. failure.

Dynamic – An active world seen in relational terms. Mechanical – Static, Cause-effect. Linear concepts.
Productivity; Organization.

Relationship – Truth is in Experience and Knowledge – Facts are important. Truth is in

Relationship. correlation of statement to observable, testable
phenomena.

Event – Meaning Centers in the Verb: Event Primary. Substance – Noun-Adjective: Entity and Description
primary.
 Contrast of Worldview Philosophies – African and
European
Orville Boyd Jenkins
AFRICAN EUROPEAN

Religious – God the Creator (though far away). All Secular – A set order in the universe, independent
things are related. existence, naturalistic view.

Spirit-World – Many factors in life cannot be known, Scientific Approach – Describe, Control, Manipulate;
controlled or predicted. Humans are at the mercy of the Change your destiny. Aggressive. Frustration with
forces of life. Resignation to conditions. failure.

Dynamic – An active world seen in relational terms. Mechanical – Static, Cause-effect. Linear concepts.
Productivity; Organization.

Relationship – Truth is in Experience and Knowledge – Facts are important. Truth is in

Relationship. correlation of statement to observable, testable
phenomena.

Event – Meaning Centers in the Verb: Event Primary. Substance – Noun-Adjective: Entity and Description
primary.

Focus on Present – The world is uncontrollable. Predictability – Reproducible phenomena, Probability.

Immediacy. Presence of an individual takes precedence Planning a high value. Same result from same factors
over plans. every time.
 Contrast of Worldview Philosophies – African and
European
Orville Boyd Jenkins
AFRICAN EUROPEAN

Religious – God the Creator (though far away). All Secular – A set order in the universe, independent
things are related. existence, naturalistic view.

Spirit-World – Many factors in life cannot be known, Scientific Approach – Describe, Control, Manipulate;
controlled or predicted. Humans are at the mercy of the Change your destiny. Aggressive. Frustration with
forces of life. Resignation to conditions. failure.

Dynamic – An active world seen in relational terms. Mechanical – Static, Cause-effect. Linear concepts.
Productivity; Organization.

Relationship – Truth is in Experience and Knowledge – Facts are important. Truth is in

Relationship. correlation of statement to observable, testable
phenomena.

Event – Meaning Centers in the Verb: Event Primary. Substance – Noun-Adjective: Entity and Description
primary.

Focus on Present – The world is uncontrollable. Predictability – Reproducible phenomena, Probability.

Immediacy. Presence of an individual takes precedence Planning a high value. Same result from same factors
over plans. every time.

Group Identity--Obligations. Commitment to the Individualistic -- Rights. Commitment to Principle.

Group.

First published in the book Dealing with Differences:

Contrasting the African and European Worldviews, 1991 Copyright © 1991, 2004 Orville Boyd Jenkins