RE: Is belief really a choice?
March 23, 2013 at 5:55 pm
(This post was last modified: March 23, 2013 at 5:56 pm by Simon Moon.)
My definition of belief is the psychological state where one holds a proposition as true.
Using this definition, I choose to only believe that which can be supported by demonstrable evidence, reasoned argument and valid logic.
I refuse to hold a proposition as true unless it meets these criteria. But, if a proposition does not meet these criteria, that does NOT mean that I believe the inverse (that the proposition is false). This seems to be the hardest thing to explain to theists.
So, I do choose what I believe. What I do not choose is the process my mind uses to make the choice of what I believe.
Using this definition, I choose to only believe that which can be supported by demonstrable evidence, reasoned argument and valid logic.
I refuse to hold a proposition as true unless it meets these criteria. But, if a proposition does not meet these criteria, that does NOT mean that I believe the inverse (that the proposition is false). This seems to be the hardest thing to explain to theists.
So, I do choose what I believe. What I do not choose is the process my mind uses to make the choice of what I believe.
You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.
