I feel, however, it is also an extremely important topic.
I believe in Truth. With a capital mother-fucking 'T'. There is one singular Truth, and it is knowable.
But there is something the post-modernist nihilist self-important pretentious assholes DID get right. You don't know the Truth. You know, next to nothing.
In fact, I would argue that you know nothing but what you have experienced.
However, even your experiences are ultimately incongruous. Therefor internal assumptions must be made. That which provides the greatest amount of consistency with your knowledge is likely to be true. What you do not know you must assess a likelihood. Your whole world view is a tower of likelihoods on top of likelihoods.
Beliefs are a set of ideas or concepts that
you burn into your mind; an anchor for which all likelihoods are to be
judged against. Beliefs are an outdated technology. Science has replaced the natural belief software we come with. Beliefs are what cause human beings to start with a conclusion and work backwards.
Perfect for a hominid on the savanna, needing to make snap life and death decisions, without the time, understanding, or benefits of group collaboration. Beliefs are fantastic heuristics which help you maintain control in the heat of the moment. Not that I could convince you to have no beliefs at all, as it is your own natural human predilection to do so. But here is what I would suggest to you:
Examine your beliefs, examine the hell out of them. Keep them only to topics which are of importance at times when you do not have the time, temper, or patience to be reasonable.
Everything else, try to stop thinking in terms of 'knowledge'. A simple change in the terminology can be very helpful. Try instead of 'I know JFK never landed the twin towers on the moon' saying 'I find it unlikely that JFK landed the twin towers on the moon'.
See how much more credible you sound?
TLDR; Nothing is known for certain, but many things are likely. Beliefs are dangerous, but can be useful when limited to situations you do not always have time to assess likelihoods. Stop assuming you know how things are, and start discussing how likely certain facts and assessments are.
Perfect for a hominid on the savanna, needing to make snap life and death decisions, without the time, understanding, or benefits of group collaboration. Beliefs are fantastic heuristics which help you maintain control in the heat of the moment. Not that I could convince you to have no beliefs at all, as it is your own natural human predilection to do so. But here is what I would suggest to you:
Examine your beliefs, examine the hell out of them. Keep them only to topics which are of importance at times when you do not have the time, temper, or patience to be reasonable.
Everything else, try to stop thinking in terms of 'knowledge'. A simple change in the terminology can be very helpful. Try instead of 'I know JFK never landed the twin towers on the moon' saying 'I find it unlikely that JFK landed the twin towers on the moon'.
See how much more credible you sound?
TLDR; Nothing is known for certain, but many things are likely. Beliefs are dangerous, but can be useful when limited to situations you do not always have time to assess likelihoods. Stop assuming you know how things are, and start discussing how likely certain facts and assessments are.
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