Popularity of Belief--evidence for belief?

[Copernicus]

I disagree. A once popular belief was that the Earth was flat. That was wrong. Had we suspended the desire of proof, we'd never gotten past it. We need skepticism to find truth. We must always strive against popular belief, rather it be religious, political, social, or scientific. The focus must be on truth, not popularity.

Otherright, the argument here is not that we should accept popular beliefs merely because they are popular but that we have to work harder to dismiss them. Our arguments have to be better than rejection on the grounds that believers have failed to meet their burden of proof.

 

[Otherright]

Otherright, the argument here is not that we should accept popular beliefs merely because they are popular but that we have to work harder to dismiss them. Our arguments have to be better than rejection on the grounds that believers have failed to meet their burden of proof.

Sorry, yes, I agree with that. I'm sorry. My brain is fried. I'm on day 4 of 8, in the middle of corporate KT (Kepner-Tregoe) training. At this moment, I can't be positive I can answer anything definitively without working through an extremely exhaustive process. But, at least I'm making around 250.00 a day just to go to class for 8 hours.

 

[Copernicus]

Sorry, yes, I agree with that. I'm sorry. My brain is fried. I'm on day 4 of 8, in the middle of corporate KT (Kepner-Tregoe) training. At this moment, I can't be positive I can answer anything definitively without working through an extremely exhaustive process. But, at least I'm making around 250.00 a day just to go to class for 8 hours.

I can relate to that. I'm just leaving for a 20-day vacation in China. I'll log in when I get the chance, but that may not be often in the next 3 weeks.

 

[St Giordano Bruno]

I think when it comes to political beliefs then that is when popular belief are most dangerous, particularly with populism where the use of fear can mobilize large masses of people against a minority race or culture. This was particularly evident here in Australia some 10 years ago with Pauline Hanson and her then xenophobic agenda, who by the way did not even know in her ignorance what the definition of the word meant.

 

[St Giordano Bruno]

Another one is Scientology which tops the list for many of us for their ridiculous beliefs. Their beliefs are certainly ridiculous by any measure from my perspective, but their perception is seen to be even more ridiculous just for the simple reason they are not particularly as popular as the equally if not more ridiculous beliefs of mainstream Christianity. As far as I am concerned the belief that some supernatural creator of the universe inseminated a virgin who bore his son to later grow up to be only tortured and crucified in a gruesome public execution in the Middle East in ancient Roman times in order to save the world from sin is as ridiculous as you can get.

 

[waitasec]

Children are so naive and trusting of adult authority.

i don't think i agree with that. i hear my son ask "why" all the time
we are wired to be curious and are also wired to have our curiosity quenched with a logical understanding that would fit within our capacity...
and hopefully our understanding progresses which would increase our capacity
for example; a child doesn't know the laws of gravity but would know there is something magical about a floating balloon...which is why i think balloons are fascinating to kids...then they ask why it's doing that and then they learn about empirical truths.

or, i'll equate the popularity of belief to the belief in santa clause for children...most american children believe in him and they talk about him and they share this common wonder about him. because their belief has been confirmed by other children, it makes it easier to believe in such a being, it's a truth confirmed objectively (like the floating magical balloon within the realm of their understanding)...until one of their peers questions it or lets the cat out of the bag

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Your original question was a bit loaded. I think that our subsequent discussion clarified things.

This explains a lot.

 

[Willamena]

However, studies show that higher education has an adverse effect on belief in religion and god. This indicates that the 'something missing' is knowledge.

Nah. It was just an image. (Literally.)

 

[Copernicus]

i don't think i agree with that. i hear my son ask "why" all the time...

But asking "Why?" is not an expression of skepticism. It is an expression of trust in your ability to explain things. Children are wired to rely on the experience that adults have accumulated. That makes good sense, as children who do not do that cannot learn as much about the world as quickly as they need to. Even adults still work on the basis of a large amount of trust in information sources. Most of the news of the world that I take in every day is based more on confidence in my sources of information than hypothesis-testing or corroboration. That really is the main point I'm trying to make here--that trust in popular belief is a very powerful motivation for belief. "Monkey see, monkey do" is the cliche, but we are social creatures, after all. Society wouldn't work without a propensity in individuals to go with the flow.

 

[waitasec]

But asking "Why?" is not an expression of skepticism. It is an expression of trust in your ability to explain things.

i would argue, to their satisfaction. if the explanation doesn't make sense to them they will continue to ask why or walk away with a funny look on their face.

Children are wired to rely on the experience that adults have accumulated.

kids rely on a sincerity

Even adults still work on the basis of a large amount of trust in information sources. Most of the news of the world that I take in every day is based more on confidence in my sources of information than hypothesis-testing or corroboration.

then adults have a lot to learn too.

That really is the main point I'm trying to make here--that trust in popular belief is a very powerful motivation for belief. "Monkey see, monkey do" is the cliche, but we are social creatures, after all. Society wouldn't work without a propensity in individuals to go with the flow.

oh i agree with that absolutely...i am not arguing that at all.
i just think people, adults actually, are just like kids...only older and with more experience... peer pressure exists in every level of development, imo.