What does it take to be deluded/closeminded

[tarasan]

I have been thinking about this lately

Is everyone closeminded about something?

I mean im closes minded about wether there is morality, education, heck im probably even a little close minded about my religion!

so my questions are is everyone close minded about something and is that nesessarily bad?

Is it only theists that Delude themselves? or can non-believers do it too? heck ARE thesis's deluding themselves?

These questions are here mostly as a guide but yeah what do you guys think?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Is everyone closeminded about something?

I'm not closedminded about anything, and I'll refuse to listen to anyone who says otherwise.

 

[tarasan]

I'm not closedminded about anything, and I'll refuse to listen to anyone who says otherwise.

that response is so awesome i cannot put it into words :drool:

 

[Caladan]

I have been thinking about this lately

Is everyone closeminded about something?

I mean im closes minded about wether there is morality, education, heck im probably even a little close minded about my religion!

so my questions are is everyone close minded about something and is that nesessarily bad?

Is it only theists that Delude themselves? or can non-believers do it too? heck ARE thesis's deluding themselves?

These questions are here mostly as a guide but yeah what do you guys think?

We are all close minded about somethings. I dont know if its possible or desirable to be open minded about everything, all the time. sometimes you need to form an opinion and stick with it.

 

[Quiddity]

Being closed minded can be a good thing sometimes.

I don't know if I'd have as much respect or take as serious someone who just opens themselves up to everything. Would you?

 

[Willamena]

All it takes is thinking you know what's right.

 

[tarasan]

Being closed minded can be a good thing sometimes.

I don't know if I'd have as much respect or take as serious someone who just opens themselves up to everything. Would you?

Thats very true, I think we shouldnt be, but what does that mean about disbelief or belief, how do they fit into this discussion?

what limit would we put on thinking freely, if that isnt a condradiction in terms :foot:. I mean what ok to be open about what we should just taken for granted? or should it be an "I cant say what people should or shold not think freely about"?

 

[tarasan]

All it takes is thinking you know what's right.

hmmm that sounds interesting! can you please elaborate? I wanna know what u think in great depth if thats ok?

 

[Forkie]

I have been thinking about this lately

Is everyone closeminded about something?

I mean im closes minded about wether there is morality, education, heck im probably even a little close minded about my religion!

so my questions are is everyone close minded about something and is that nesessarily bad?

Is it only theists that Delude themselves? or can non-believers do it too? heck ARE thesis's deluding themselves?

These questions are here mostly as a guide but yeah what do you guys think?

Closed-mindedness is the refusal to consider an alternative idea to your own, despite evidence to the contrary.

Delusion is the irrational/illogical belief of something.

As an atheist I consider myself to be very open minded because my belief will change to whatever the evidence points most towards. If the evidence pointed logically and reasonably towards there being a supernatural god, my belief would change to accommodate that.

I don't think closed-mindedness "can be good sometimes" and I don't think it is productive to "think of an opinion and stick to it". You must have a basis for your opinion. You can't just chose one and run with it, an opinion should be formed on the information given and you should be able to enforce your opinion with a sound reason, but be willing to alter it if you learn new information.

 

[Madhuri]

All it takes is thinking you know what's right.

This is what I think too.
I also think it takes some humility to be a little open minded or to admit to yourself that you could be wrong.

However I wouldn't exactly go mixing up knowing that something is right and believing that something is right.

 

[tarasan]

Closed-mindedness is the refusal to consider an alternative idea to your own, despite evidence to the contrary.

Delusion is the irrational/illogical belief of something.

As an atheist I consider myself to be very open minded because my belief will change to whatever the evidence points most towards. If the evidence pointed logically and reasonably towards there being a supernatural god, my belief would change to accommodate that.

I don't think closed-mindedness "can be good sometimes" and I don't think it is productive to "think of an opinion and stick to it". You must have a basis for your opinion. You can't just chose one and run with it, an opinion should be formed on the information given and you should be able to enforce your opinion with a sound reason, but be willing to alter it if you learn new information.

close-mind·ed or closed-mind·ed . Intolerant of the beliefs and opinions of others; stubbornly unreceptive to new ideas.

de·lu·sion

n.1. a. The act or process of deluding.
b. The state of being deluded.

2. A false belief or opinion: labored under the delusion that success was at hand.
3. Psychiatry A false belief strongly held in spite of invalidating evidence, especially as a symptom of mental illness: delusions of persecution.




delusion - definition of delusion by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia. (same site reference)

firstly closemindedness has nothing to do with evidence its merely being unable to accept new ideas or to be intolerant of another persons.

Also what the evidence points to the most in terms of belief and non-belief are complete up for interpretation my friend

by the definition I have hear you would porbably be hard pressed to call any thiest deluded but anyway that not what i want to touch on in this post.

I think there are some Ideas we should be intolerant to, I mean what if someone came along and made a rational arguement that said we should kill disabled people and then gave evidence supporting how they drain money in society. Should we consider it!! NO we should be intolerant and hostile to the new idea. It is an extreme example but im trying to prove my point.

 

[AxisMundi]

Being closed minded can be a good thing sometimes.

I don't know if I'd have as much respect or take as serious someone who just opens themselves up to everything. Would you?

I would have to disagree.

While it is important to have principles, and stick by them, close-mindedness simply refuses any evidence that might prove said principles incorrect, or even harmful, in nature.

I recall the recent news article concerning a JW boy who died because his parents refused to take him to the hospital, for religious reasons. Does that example of close-mindedness really sound all that reasonable?

The term "close-minded" evokes a person who will refuse any and all evidence that runs contrary to their beliefs. Young Earth Creationists are a perfect example. Despite centuries of scientific investigation, peer review, and the mountains of evidence showing the planet to be over 4 billion years old, the YECer completely sets set aside this scientific fact in favor of the biblical 6,000 year time frame.

While I certainly hold little regard for someone who is totally open to everything and wildly fluctuates according to the flavor of the day, I have absolutely no regard or respect for the close minded.

 

[Charity]

This is what I think too.
I also think it takes some humility to be a little open minded or to admit to yourself that you could be wrong.

However I wouldn't exactly go mixing up knowing that something is right and believing that something is right.

Could I opt for believing what I know?

 

[sandy whitelinger]

I'm not closedminded about anything, and I'll refuse to listen to anyone who says otherwise.

And not a lot of people know this but I'm famous.

 

[sandy whitelinger]

I have been thinking about this lately

Is everyone closeminded about something?

I mean im closes minded about wether there is morality, education, heck im probably even a little close minded about my religion!

so my questions are is everyone close minded about something and is that nesessarily bad?

Is it only theists that Delude themselves? or can non-believers do it too? heck ARE thesis's deluding themselves?

These questions are here mostly as a guide but yeah what do you guys think?

Obstinate ignorance comes to mind. Perhaps a willings to be comfortable with what one already knows. Most probably all situations involve issues of staying in a comfort zone.

 

[sandy whitelinger]

Could I opt for believing what I know?

I only know what I know. I don't know anything else.

 

[footprints]

I have been thinking about this lately

Is everyone closeminded about something?

I mean im closes minded about wether there is morality, education, heck im probably even a little close minded about my religion!

so my questions are is everyone close minded about something and is that nesessarily bad?

Is it only theists that Delude themselves? or can non-believers do it too? heck ARE thesis's deluding themselves?

These questions are here mostly as a guide but yeah what do you guys think?

In essence, everybody is closed minded and everybody is deluding themselves over some things.

That which everybody sees the same, there is no delusion over. Ask anybody what 1+1 equals and the vast majority, be they non-believers or believers will give you the same answer. There cannot be any delusion, for we are all taught exactly the same thing and we all accept the same thing as gospel.

Things though in life are not always so black and white, albeit many people want to keep them as black and white. What is a boat? Is an aircraft carrier a boat? I reckon it is, it floats on water, but I wouldn't advise anybody to say the same thing to the captain of an aircraft carrier, for to this person, it is not a boat it is a ship and they will spend the next 10 to 15 minutes explaining why. Oh, another tip, don't call them (captains) a sailor either, they are not a sailor they are a captain.

Human perception enters into most things where life isn't clear cut, black and white. One person will tell you they feel quite safe walking the streets at night, another will tell you they lock themselves behind closed doors and they are both talking about the same area and the same streets. Is one of these people delusional? Not really, they are looking at the same thing, but due to life experience, seeing things differently.

 

[2nd mouse]

In essence, everybody is closed minded and everybody is deluding themselves over some things.

That which everybody sees the same, there is no delusion over. Ask anybody what 1+1 equals and the vast majority, be they non-believers or believers will give you the same answer. There cannot be any delusion, for we are all taught exactly the same thing and we all accept the same thing as gospel.

Things though in life are not always so black and white, albeit many people want to keep them as black and white. What is a boat? Is an aircraft carrier a boat? I reckon it is, it floats on water, but I wouldn't advise anybody to say the same thing to the captain of an aircraft carrier, for to this person, it is not a boat it is a ship and they will spend the next 10 to 15 minutes explaining why. Oh, another tip, don't call them (captains) a sailor either, they are not a sailor they are a captain.

Human perception enters into most things where life isn't clear cut, black and white. One person will tell you they feel quite safe walking the streets at night, another will tell you they lock themselves behind closed doors and they are both talking about the same area and the same streets. Is one of these people delusional? Not really, they are looking at the same thing, but due to life experience, seeing things differently.

I think footprints is correct. He used the word perception, I'll use perspective. The inability for a person to view a situation from a different perspective than the one they hold is the root cause of close mindedness. Each person has his/her own perspective and it is uniquely theirs. It is reality to them, as it should be. Perspective is custom built for each individual through the accumulation of life experiences. But they must understand that that reality is only theirs and they cannot make it someone elses because that someone else does not have thier same life experiences. So in truth my perspective is reality, to me.... and so is the other persons, to him/her.

To be close minded is to not give anothers perspective the same respect as yours. I find this to be rampant on this forum.

 

[tarasan]

I think footprints is correct. He used the word perception, I'll use perspective. The inability for a person to view a situation from a different perspective than the one they hold is the root cause of close mindedness. Each person has his/her own perspective and it is uniquely theirs. It is reality to them, as it should be. Perspective is custom built for each individual through the accumulation of life experiences. But they must understand that that reality is only theirs and they cannot make it someone elses because that someone else does not have thier same life experiences. So in truth my perspective is reality, to me.... and so is the other persons, to him/her.

To be close minded is to not give anothers perspective the same respect as yours. I find this to be rampant on this forum.

To be honest friend I think its rampant everywhere. I feel though that spending time with others who dont hold the same view as your seems to give you understanding, or maybe that is just wishful thinking.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I have been thinking about this lately

Is everyone closeminded about something?

I mean im closes minded about wether there is morality, education, heck im probably even a little close minded about my religion!

so my questions are is everyone close minded about something and is that nesessarily bad?

Is it only theists that Delude themselves? or can non-believers do it too? heck ARE thesis's deluding themselves?

These questions are here mostly as a guide but yeah what do you guys think?

The root of both being closed-minded and deluding oneself, is allowing emotion to trump reason regarding things for which reason is required to determine the correct answer.

Humans are emotional by nature, so everyone is susceptible to both being closed-minded and deluding themselves - but, like other attributes, some are better at controlling their emotional responses when reason is required.