RE: Message for all theists
March 12, 2012 at 11:19 am
(This post was last modified: March 12, 2012 at 11:34 am by Anomalocaris.)
(March 12, 2012 at 11:14 am)Rhythm Wrote: Belief does not require any specific level of intelligence, high or low. Beliefs greatest achievement is that it can appeal to anyone, of any level of intelligence. It has a hook for every persuasion. I could argue that it takes a very sturdy mind indeed to hold a belief in the face of evidence to the contrary.What in your opinion is the difference between the sort of "sturdiness" that allows one to stare facts in the face and deny it to oneself, and stark raving insensibility?
(March 12, 2012 at 11:14 am)Rhythm Wrote: You have to be smart enough to be able to fool yourself, and smart enough to be able to do so without realizing that you have done so. Apparently, it only takes an average level of intelligence to do this. So, I bet you could do it even better if you were of above average intelligence.
No, you might need to carry out a large number of flawed brain activities to fool yourself. But being smart is not merely a count of the number of brain activities you carry out, it is the capacity for the brain to organize its activities to produce sound final results.
So a person who consistently fools himself with the cleverest tricks is still a total idiot.
