What is world? The world is the planet Earth and all life upon it, including human civilization . [1] In a philosophical context, the "world" is the whole of the physical Universe , or an ontological world (the "world" of an individual ). In a theological context, the world is the material or the profane sphere, as opposed to the celestial, spiritual, transcendent or sacred spheres. " End of the world " scenarios refer to the end of human history, often in religious contexts. The history of the world is commonly understood as spanning the major geopolitical developments of about five millennia, from the first civilizations to the present. In terms such as world religion , world language , world government , and world war , the term world suggests an international or intercontinental scope without necessarily implying participation of every part of th...