Glossary U-Z

Glossary - U - Z

utilitarianism: ethics are defined by the effects of actions; actions are deemed right if they are useful or beneficial to the happiness and well-being of a majority.

Verstehen: German for understanding; coined by the sociologist Max Weber to point to the need to interpret social actions and explanations.

vitalism: belief in a vital force upon which all life depends.

Western religions: term applied primarily to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; also known as the Abrahamic religious traditions, since they all hold Abraham as a founding father.

Wicca: modern, nature-based religious movement loosely linked to pre-Christian pagan traditions of Western Europe.

worldview: the overarching perspective through which one understands reality; derived from the German term Weltanschauung.

yuga: Sanskrit term for long cycles of cosmic time, particularly in Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist world-views.

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