B1. The Concept of World View
Specific Expectations
B1.1
identify and make connections between various elements of a world view or belief system (e.g., beliefs about the existence of a deity or deities, shamanism, the origins of the universe and of humanity, the relationship between humanity and the natural world; family or kin relationships and responsibilities; concepts of time; rites of passage; expressions of gratitude; values governing human interaction; commitment to the transmission of knowledge from generation to generation; beliefs about fairness, economic justice, prosperity, and wealth), suggesting some factors that shape world views
- What are some typical elements of a belief system?
- What connection can you make between how ‘family’ is defined within a world view and how the role of individuals within the community is understood?
- Do you think that concepts of time and rites of passage are related elements of a world view? Why, or why not? What distinguishes these elements?
- Thinking about how your own world view has changed over time, what factors can you identify that affect world view?
- How does world view inform conceptions of economic growth and prosperity?
B1.2
compare world views or belief systems associated with a few different cultures to identify common purposes and functions (e.g., as a framework for thinking about the world, reality, and existence; as a set of principles on which to base decisions, aspirations, and actions; as the foundation of a sense of self and of individual and collective identity; as a guide to interactions and relationships with others)
- What elements of your own world view are also found in the world view of another culture? What specific examples can you give?
- Why do you think that the belief systems of cultures around the world share common elements? What does that tell us about the purpose of a belief system?
- How might the elements of a world view that influence gender relationships differ from one culture to another? How might those differences influence behaviour?
- What are some ways in which your world view influences your behaviour in various social contexts?
- What evidence from different cultures can you find to demonstrate that world view influences economic policy making?
B1.3
explain how a variety of aspects of daily life and common aspirations in Canada are shaped by and reflect specific beliefs and values (e.g., with reference to laws regarding property and private ownership, a judicial system based on written common or civil law, marriage laws and conventions, the provincial and federal administration of education, the practice of taxation), analysing how those beliefs and values may support or conflict with Indigenous world views
- How do First Nations, Métis, and Inuit beliefs about land ownership differ from beliefs about ownership that are supported by the Canadian federal government?
- What framework is the Canadian legal system founded upon? How does this framework differ from Indigenous beliefs about restorative justice? What are some ways in which these differences affect daily life and common aspirations in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities?
- What common aspirations in Canadian society are also expressed in the Métis Nation of Ontario Statement of Prime Purpose? In what ways do contemporary economic aspirations in Canada conflict with Métis world views?