A Choice

[WisdomTree]

Is belief a choice? If a posit a claim, can you decide, there and then, that you believe it?

Could you explain a little bit more? I am a bit confused by your wording.

 

[Eudaimonist]

EDIT: Just went through new videos from my Youtube subscriptions, and found another example: Lying (The exact part you'll want to watch - although the whole thing is worth watching - is around 4:20)

Perhaps George Orwell wasn't so far off with his concept of doublethink.

But I didn't get the sense from the narrator just how often people lie to themselves, or about what. It was just a general comment. And his eyes didn't blink... hmm...


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[JonF]

For me no; for many others it seems to be a yes.

 

[WisdomTree]

So no one's gonna eloborate on the question?

 

[WonderBeat]

We choose to believe everything.

 

[Gracchus]

We choose to believe everything.

That is an extraordinary degree of gullibility! You and your friend(s) must be a big hit with sailors and salesmen!

 

[WonderBeat]

That is an extraordinary degree of gullibility! You and your friend(s) must be a big hit with sailors and salesmen!

I should say, we choose to believe everything we choose to believe!

 

[Gracchus]

I should say, we choose to believe everything we choose to believe!

I believe what I am convinced of.

Let me illustrate the difference:

Robert E. Lee was a man of many talents and advantages. He was rich, smart, and well educated. He thought slavery was wrong, and he thought secession was a mistake. Nevertheless, he fought for the Confederacy. He said it was a matter of "honor".

Had he not fought for the Confederacy, he would have alienated friends and family. He "chose" to fight for the South. He was also religious, but forgot that no man can serve two masters. He valued the good opinion of others, more than what he believed was right. To deceive himself, he called it "honor"

George Thomas was also a Virginian, not so advantaged as Lee, but he fought for the Union because he was convinced of the Union cause. This alienated many of his friends and family.

Religious persons (and patriots), "choose" to believe nonsense, because professing unbelief would alienate friends and family, and bring them face-to-face with fears of personal death and insignificance. They take a position from self-interest and then carefully choose what facts they will consider and what flawed logic they can tolerate to support their chosen position.
They cannot imaging anyone acting differently. The call this belief in unproven and absurd notions "faith" and hold it to be a great virtue.

Scientific persons believe because they are convinced by evidence and reasoning. They test their assumptions by comparing them with reality.

 

[WonderBeat]

Scientific persons believe because they are convinced by evidence and reasoning. They test their assumptions by comparing them with reality.

Science has nothing to do with reality.

 

[Gracchus]

Science has nothing to do with reality.

Science eliminated smallpox. So smallpox wasn't real? Science gave us the internet. So the internet isn't real? Science also gave us the atomic bomb. So, I guess the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were suffering from delusions?

"Science has nothing to do with reality."

 

[WonderBeat]

Science eliminated smallpox. So smallpox wasn't real? Science gave us the internet. So the internet isn't real? Science also gave us the atomic bomb. So, I guess the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were suffering from delusions?

"Science has nothing to do with reality."

You're right; none of those things exist. It is delusion to think they do.

 

[WisdomTree]

You're right; none of those things exist. It is delusion to think they do.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

You're right; none of those things exist. It is delusion to think they do.

Wait, you're seriously saying that the Internet doesn't exist?

 

[Eudaimonist]

Wait, you're seriously saying that the Internet doesn't exist?

Wonderbeat is entirely serious. She's a type of Idealist, even to the point of solipsism.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Lord Emsworth]

Wait, you're seriously saying that the Internet doesn't exist?

No. No such statement exists.

 

[WisdomTree]

Wonderbeat is entirely serious. She's a type of Idealist, even to the point of solipsism.


eudaimonia,

Mark

They actually exist!?

 

[Eudaimonist]

They actually exist!?

They?!? Only one does.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[WisdomTree]

They?!? Only one does.


eudaimonia,

Mark

No one does...

 

[Received]

I don't think belief is immediately a choice, as if you could will belief in Santa Claus. But your openness is very, very much a choice.

 

[GrowingSmaller]

I can choose an I am dancing belief by dancing.