Created 18/12/2011 1:07:42 PM

World views affect approaches to theories, models, and evidence (Hughes, 1985). According to Hughes (1985), a world view is a comprehensive set of values, basic assumptions about the way the world works, and "directive understandings" of complex events and processes. Kuhn (1970) and Daly (1980) had regarded it as "paradigm". Diesing (1982) had considered it as "ideology". A directive understanding, paradigm or ideology not only shapes our understanding of past and current issues, but also future events and trends.           

We can learn many good lessons from what we are studying now. What motivated W. Waren Wagar (1991) to follow a definite world view in relation to Futures Studies? It can be found in the words of Edmund Burke about civil society. It is regarded as a kind of partnership, “a partnership not only between those who are living, but between those who are living, those who are dead, and those who are to be born.” (Burke, 1909). Wagar believed that Futures Studies makes a contribution to the generation of that world view. But, how that contribution could be made?

Edward Cornish replies in this manner: "pick up where [what] history leaves off." (Cornish, 1977). What has been left by the history? We know many things about the history and historical events and characters, but have you ever noticed that we often blame past generations for a number of problems that we have today? We blame them for irresponsibility. It's a matter of responsibility.    

As the futurists, we have social and professional responsibilities not only for current generation, but also about next generations who may blame us in the same way we convict the past ones.

Masini (2011) paraphrases a futurist's responsibility in this manner: "I wish to stress the importance not only of Futures Studies in themselves, but also as a response to the need for all people in general to learn how to look to the future in their everyday lives, in any kind of work, in the family and, of course, in decision making." She adds: "… there is a need for learning and teaching how to look to the future in the awareness that we live amid increasing uncertainty and hence the possibility of error. … The point is that we must be able to teach these basics as well as the means to reduce the level of uncertainty about the future".

References:

Burke E. (1909). Reflections on the Revolution in France. New York: P. F. Collier, p. 232.

Cornish, E. et al. (1977). The Study of the Future. Washington: World Future Society, p. 103.

Hughes, B. (1985). Structuring the images. In World futures: A critical analysis of alternatives (pp. 26-51). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Masini, E. B. (2011). How to Teach Futures Studies: Some Experiences, Journal of Futures Studies, 15(4), 111 – 120.

Wagar, W. W. (1991). The next three futures: Paradigms of things to come. New York: Praeger.