Do you believe or do you know?

Question

Why would you decide to believe something when there are ways to find out the truth and Know something. When there's not a way to find the truth, then why jump to conclusions and not find a way to find the truth? Should ever be allowed to base an argument on belief? Belief that you are strong is not going to win an arm wrestling competition. You have to qualify to compete, why shouldn't you have to qualify to take part in making decisions.

Why do you choose to keep beliefs? If they have anything to do with feeling safe or happy, then that's ok. But stay out of debates and decision making with them.

Opinions on the other hand can sometimes be justified. But that's not to be confused with "It's my opinion that it will snow" when in fact it's your belief... not your opinion. Opinions are only opinions when based on experience and knowledge that's been put together to come up with a conclusion.

Answer 1

Because my beliefs are based on truth. Not on popular myth or the "conventional wisdom". And to stay out of debates or decision making because I have beliefs defies all logic. It would reduce decision-making to the sentient equivalent of throwing darts at a board as the final word. I especially eschew the "truths" presented to me via some piece of video footage on You Tube.

And I also don't have a lot of time for contemplating my navel or counting the number of angels on the head of a pin. In my world things can be black or white, not varying shades of grey.

Answer 2

As a scientist, I think you cannot truly Know. There are some things which are quite plausible, and others much less so. There are some things that look coherent with our most accepted frameworks, others much less so. The accepted frameworks change over time, as we gather more data and when someone comes up with a more clever explanation. Theories are discarded, and substituted with new theories. Both old and new theories are useful and can, up to some point, describe the world and make verifiable predictions (this point is quite important, so let me repeat it: make verifiable predictions).

I think Knowing and Truth are other words for Belief. And I think we all have to use a lot of those in our daily lives for decision making, as we usually don't have time or energy to research every fact and theory, so a lot of the time we have to think with our guts and keep going.

Of course, that does not mean it's OK to discard science and logic: if you are looking for a description of the world that makes verifiable predictions, science and logic are probably the best tools for the job, and Belief is not.

Answer 3

you say"its my opinion that it will snow when in fact thats your belief'...you are incorrect..that statement"its my opinion that it will snow"..is my opinion...I dont believe it,I just feel it....you are inserting semantics into an argument of logic and the two dont mix....if I have watched the weather for 52 years and say I believe it will snow,thats based on experience but my experience also tells me I have been wrong many times so its not a belief...you are waaaay off base

Answer 4

Ever wonder,

If one do not believe?

How can one know the truth?

Surely we have to believe.

Only then we know the truth?

Ever wonder how can it be a guess work without doing home-work in climbing up the coconut trees and still look green?

Luke 9.55-56

Look in the real world.

Who keep on beating tin cans.

When the ATM reads " Out of service" with "It does not compute"

What do you think?

Answer 5

You lost me after (Why would you.)

Answer 6

I know.

Answer 7

There is science weathermen use to determine the probability of snow and then tell the audience their opinion. However, their opinion is based on facts. (wind patterns, percipitation, etc.)

I agree with you overall though. I think what you are really talking about is critical thinking. To actually listen to an argument and decide who is speaking, what is the motive/perspective of the person speaking based on facts and why should I believe it based on facts that I KNOW. The problem comes because alot people don't KNOW alot. However, they know they are unhappy and feel discomfort and since they do not have facts to explain why, they use their beliefs which often do not make sense.