Comments on: Outrageous Beliefs Are NOT Equal to Claims They Are Preposterous http://dmiessler.com/blog/outrageous-beliefs-are-not-equal-to-claims-they-are-preposterous in search of intervals Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:09:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7-bleeding By: Colette http://dmiessler.com/blog/outrageous-beliefs-are-not-equal-to-claims-they-are-preposterous#comment-129471 Colette Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:08:48 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blogarchive/outrageous-beliefs-are-not-equal-to-claims-they-are-preposterous#comment-129471 <p>Belief has nothing to do with Truth. I can believe that gravity doesn't exist. I can believe I can jump off the Empire State Building and fly. The Truth is, I can't, no matter what I believe.</p> <p>So, Truth is Truth, whether I believe it or not.</p> <p>The more I learn, the more I realize there is so much I don't know and can't understand ....</p> Belief has nothing to do with Truth. I can believe that gravity doesn’t exist. I can believe I can jump off the Empire State Building and fly. The Truth is, I can’t, no matter what I believe.

So, Truth is Truth, whether I believe it or not.

The more I learn, the more I realize there is so much I don’t know and can’t understand ….

]]> By: Jacob Kline http://dmiessler.com/blog/outrageous-beliefs-are-not-equal-to-claims-they-are-preposterous#comment-125388 Jacob Kline Mon, 25 Feb 2008 09:45:20 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blogarchive/outrageous-beliefs-are-not-equal-to-claims-they-are-preposterous#comment-125388 <p>Not that this comment concludes the discussion, but you left out one element in your illustration. To complete it, lets suppose the wacko in your excursion is asked how in crap he came up with his ideas, and he claims he got his 'knowledge' from some book of his. That would be analogous to a 'believer' with his Bible or Koran, do you agree? Well, if I was the second hiker, I'd ask to see the book. I would want to evaluate its claims, and see if it was a trustworthy source. I think this is what must also be done in the case of your religious friends and their questionable beliefs. That is, (if you do wish to evaluate those beliefs,) you would evaluate the trustworthiness of the source that they are claiming.</p> Not that this comment concludes the discussion, but you left out one element in your illustration. To complete it, lets suppose the wacko in your excursion is asked how in crap he came up with his ideas, and he claims he got his ‘knowledge’ from some book of his. That would be analogous to a ‘believer’ with his Bible or Koran, do you agree? Well, if I was the second hiker, I’d ask to see the book. I would want to evaluate its claims, and see if it was a trustworthy source. I think this is what must also be done in the case of your religious friends and their questionable beliefs. That is, (if you do wish to evaluate those beliefs,) you would evaluate the trustworthiness of the source that they are claiming.

]]> By: Daniel Miessler http://dmiessler.com/blog/outrageous-beliefs-are-not-equal-to-claims-they-are-preposterous#comment-120135 Daniel Miessler Sun, 03 Feb 2008 01:07:26 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blogarchive/outrageous-beliefs-are-not-equal-to-claims-they-are-preposterous#comment-120135 <p>@Ravi</p> <p>Thank you. Fixed. I knew that. :(</p> <p>@Carl</p> <p>I strongly suggest you read what Sam Harris has to say on this topic. I won't do it justice, but the concept is pretty simple: a culture of supporting those who believe in fantasy -- even "harmless" fantasy -- casts a layer of protection on those who believe fantasies that are NOT harmless.</p> <p>In other words, once we say as a society that it's ok to believe in things that aren't real, we introduce a serious problem. We then limit our ability to criticize even the dangerous beliefs, and this is something we see today. So it's not benign, ultimately, to support such "benign" fantastical beliefs. They have a propensity to become more extreme over time, with very negative consequences.</p> <p>So I reject that it can be done long term without deteriorating into something negative. I think the natural evolution of civilization leads to it dying off.</p> @Ravi

Thank you. Fixed. I knew that. :(

@Carl

I strongly suggest you read what Sam Harris has to say on this topic. I won’t do it justice, but the concept is pretty simple: a culture of supporting those who believe in fantasy — even “harmless” fantasy — casts a layer of protection on those who believe fantasies that are NOT harmless.

In other words, once we say as a society that it’s ok to believe in things that aren’t real, we introduce a serious problem. We then limit our ability to criticize even the dangerous beliefs, and this is something we see today. So it’s not benign, ultimately, to support such “benign” fantastical beliefs. They have a propensity to become more extreme over time, with very negative consequences.

So I reject that it can be done long term without deteriorating into something negative. I think the natural evolution of civilization leads to it dying off.

]]> By: Ravi http://dmiessler.com/blog/outrageous-beliefs-are-not-equal-to-claims-they-are-preposterous#comment-120032 Ravi Sat, 02 Feb 2008 21:03:41 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blogarchive/outrageous-beliefs-are-not-equal-to-claims-they-are-preposterous#comment-120032 <p>Hindi is the language, Hindu is a person that practices Hinduism</p> Hindi is the language, Hindu is a person that practices Hinduism

]]> By: Carl M http://dmiessler.com/blog/outrageous-beliefs-are-not-equal-to-claims-they-are-preposterous#comment-120024 Carl M Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:46:51 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blogarchive/outrageous-beliefs-are-not-equal-to-claims-they-are-preposterous#comment-120024 <p>Of course. But, it's only worth arguing when harm comes from the beliefs.</p> Of course. But, it’s only worth arguing when harm comes from the beliefs.

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