Summary Of The Universe Next Door

Luke Smith Philosophy PHIL201-001 I affirm that I have read the whole book for this course during this semester. The Universe Next Door (Fifth Edition), written by James W. Sire, explores the different worldviews that people adhere to, whether consciously or subconsciously. Sire wrote this book for a multitude of reasons, but the core of why Sire wrote The Universe Next Door was to influence those reading to develop beliefs of their own. A few other reasons he wrote this book was to explain the abundantly popular sets of worldviews that are held today while comparing them with history to encourage the reader. Sire’s intended audience can be easily separated into two categories: the seeker and the learner. The seeker may not know what they believe and are searching for

Through reading The Universe Next Door, it is clear that Sire is an accomplished philosopher and effective writer. He quickly establishes this by acknowledging the fact that everyone has a worldview, even if one is not aware of it, they are adhering to a belief system. The first strength of this book is that Sire’s main goal is not to convert people to Christian Theism, but for the readers to discover what their beliefs are. This theme is seen especially in the introduction when Sire urges the reader to believe their beliefs. While examining each worldview, the author presents modern day examples of what that belief system is in order to show what it may look like. Another strength of Sire’s writing is his constant reference to notable figures in history and their famous works. Names like Nietzsche, Einstein, and Galileo are mentioned when describing postmodernism, naturalism, and deism. Not only does this give Sire credit, but it also shows how some of the best thinkers are divided on worldviews. A third strength that Sire has is his awareness of the changing world. This book was written in 1976, which was a very different world than now in