Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie navorsing belig en evalueer die ontwikkeling van die belangrikste wereldbeskouinge binne die Westerse kultuur deur op noodsaaklike interaksies tussen die filosofie, religie, wetenskap en geskiedenis te konsentreer. 'n Samehangende weergawe van die veranderende werklikheid is slegs moontlik wanneer die mens op historiese gebied goed onderle is. In die antieke wereld het Vorrne en Idees tydlose waarde gehad. Begrippe as skeppinge van die mens is as uitdrukkinge van die meer fundamentele idees of diepste werklikheid beskou. Hierdie Idees het die outentieke werklikheid en hoe die mens behoort te !ewe onverborge gemaak. 'n Fundamentele epogale verandering ('n Kopernikaanse omwenteling) in die perspektief en beeld van die modeme wereldbeskouing het met Descartes ingetree en sou by Kant 'n hoogtepunt bereik. Met die agteruitgang van die Christendom het die wetenskap meteens sy aanspraak op 'n nugtere benadering van die konkrete werklikheid versterk en as die bevryder van die mensdom na vore getree. Die mens is op radikale wyse uit die middelpunt van die Totale Werklikheid (Syn) verplaas. Hierdie verplasing is deur Darwin se relativisme versterk, soda! die wereld sonder geestelike doel en sin gelaat is. Die postmodeme intellektuele era toon 'n besondere kompleksiteit, besluiteloosheid en gebrek aan konsensus oor die wese van die werklikheid en die ongeslotenheid daarvan. Dit bied egter ongeewenaarde moontlikhede en perspektiewe sodat sake van die dag deurskou kan word en probleme opgelos kan word. Eietydse geskiedenis toon 'n universele neiging tot destruksie, maar ook 'n strewe na politieke, sosiale en fi!osofiese hemuwing. Dit wil voorkom of dit die regte tydstip is vir 'n metamorfose ('n periagoge') van fundamentele beginsels en simbole. Die Westerse denke behoort met die grondslae van sy bestaan of die Totale Werklikheid (Syn) te skakel om 'n groter eenheid te verkry en menslike ontheemding te transendeer. Die besinnende ofmetaparadigmatiese benadering kan 'n balans tussen berekende en besinnende denke bring en openheid vir 'n outentieke postmoderne denkmodel skep. Vertroue en geloof is nodig om die drumpel na die mees basiese werklikbeidstruktuur oor te steek. / This research elucidates and evaluates the development of the major worldviews of the Western culture by focusing on the crucial sphere of interaction between philosophy, religion, science and history. A coherent account of the changing conception of reality seems to be possible only to the extent to which one is historically informed. In the ancient world Forms and Ideas were timeless. Conceptual abstractions as creations of the human mind were expressions of the more fundamental ideas or deepest reality. These ideas unveiled authentic reality and how one should conduct life. A fundamental epochal shift (a Copernican revolution) in the perspective and fundamental metaphor of the entire modem worldview began with Descartes and culminated in Kant. Christianity was undermined and science suddenly stood forth as mankind's liberation appealing to common sense and concrete reality. The radical displacement of the human being from the centre of Total Reality (Being) was reinforced by Darwin's relativism of the human being, leading to a world devoid of spiritual purpose and intrinsic meaning. The postmodern intellectual era is profoundly complex, without consensus of the nature of reality, it is open-ended, but blessed with an unprecedented wealth of perspectives to engage the issues confronting it and to solve problems. Contemporary history reflects a universal mood of destruction but also a longing for political, social and philosophical renewal. It seems to be the right moment for a metamorphosis (a periagoge') of fundamental principles and symbols. The deepest passion of the Western mind should be to reunite with the ground of its being, to reconnect with Total Reality (Being), embrace a larger unity and transcend human alienation. The reflective or metaparadigmatic approach seems to create a balance between calculative and reflective thinking and create the necessary openness for an authentic postmodern model of thought. A threshold needs to be crossed demanding trust and faith to bring about the most basic structure of reality. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Filosofie van Opvoedkunde)

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie navorsing belig en evalueer die ontwikkeling van die belangrikste wereldbeskouinge binne die Westerse kultuur deur op noodsaaklike interaksies tussen die filosofie, religie, wetenskap en geskiedenis te konsentreer. 'n Samehangende weergawe van die veranderende werklikheid is slegs moontlik wanneer die mens op historiese gebied goed onderle is. In die antieke wereld het Vorrne en Idees tydlose waarde gehad. Begrippe as skeppinge van die mens is as uitdrukkinge van die meer fundamentele idees of diepste werklikheid beskou. Hierdie Idees het die outentieke werklikheid en hoe die mens behoort te !ewe onverborge gemaak. 'n Fundamentele epogale verandering ('n Kopernikaanse omwenteling) in die perspektief en beeld van die modeme wereldbeskouing het met Descartes ingetree en sou by Kant 'n hoogtepunt bereik. Met die agteruitgang van die Christendom het die wetenskap meteens sy aanspraak op 'n nugtere benadering van die konkrete werklikheid versterk en as die bevryder van die mensdom na vore getree. Die mens is op radikale wyse uit die middelpunt van die Totale Werklikheid (Syn) verplaas. Hierdie verplasing is deur Darwin se relativisme versterk, soda! die wereld sonder geestelike doel en sin gelaat is. Die postmodeme intellektuele era toon 'n besondere kompleksiteit, besluiteloosheid en gebrek aan konsensus oor die wese van die werklikheid en die ongeslotenheid daarvan. Dit bied egter ongeewenaarde moontlikhede en perspektiewe sodat sake van die dag deurskou kan word en probleme opgelos kan word. Eietydse geskiedenis toon 'n universele neiging tot destruksie, maar ook 'n strewe na politieke, sosiale en fi!osofiese hemuwing. Dit wil voorkom of dit die regte tydstip is vir 'n metamorfose ('n periagoge') van fundamentele beginsels en simbole. Die Westerse denke behoort met die grondslae van sy bestaan of die Totale Werklikheid (Syn) te skakel om 'n groter eenheid te verkry en menslike ontheemding te transendeer. Die besinnende ofmetaparadigmatiese benadering kan 'n balans tussen berekende en besinnende denke bring en openheid vir 'n outentieke postmoderne denkmodel skep. Vertroue en geloof is nodig om die drumpel na die mees basiese werklikbeidstruktuur oor te steek. / This research elucidates and evaluates the development of the major worldviews of the Western culture by focusing on the crucial sphere of interaction between philosophy, religion, science and history. A coherent account of the changing conception of reality seems to be possible only to the extent to which one is historically informed. In the ancient world Forms and Ideas were timeless. Conceptual abstractions as creations of the human mind were expressions of the more fundamental ideas or deepest reality. These ideas unveiled authentic reality and how one should conduct life. A fundamental epochal shift (a Copernican revolution) in the perspective and fundamental metaphor of the entire modem worldview began with Descartes and culminated in Kant. Christianity was undermined and science suddenly stood forth as mankind's liberation appealing to common sense and concrete reality. The radical displacement of the human being from the centre of Total Reality (Being) was reinforced by Darwin's relativism of the human being, leading to a world devoid of spiritual purpose and intrinsic meaning. The postmodern intellectual era is profoundly complex, without consensus of the nature of reality, it is open-ended, but blessed with an unprecedented wealth of perspectives to engage the issues confronting it and to solve problems. Contemporary history reflects a universal mood of destruction but also a longing for political, social and philosophical renewal. It seems to be the right moment for a metamorphosis (a periagoge') of fundamental principles and symbols. The deepest passion of the Western mind should be to reunite with the ground of its being, to reconnect with Total Reality (Being), embrace a larger unity and transcend human alienation. The reflective or metaparadigmatic approach seems to create a balance between calculative and reflective thinking and create the necessary openness for an authentic postmodern model of thought. A threshold needs to be crossed demanding trust and faith to bring about the most basic structure of reality. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Filosofie van Opvoedkunde)