(May 27, 2014 at 1:13 pm)Simon Moon Wrote: I use the definition of 'belief' as defined by cognitive scientists, 'the psychological state in which one accepts a proposition or premise to be true'.
That being said, there are good reasons to believe, and there are bad reasons to believe.
Bad reasons;
Emotional or wishful thinking, faith, raised to believe.
Good reasons;
Demonstrable evidence, reasoned argument, valid/sound logic.
In my experience, theists treat demonstrable evidence as worthless and faith as perfectly acceptable, and their belief that they have reasoned arguments and valid logic (and of course, every single one believes they do) is based upon at least one of the three bad reasons.
