(June 16, 2014 at 2:36 pm)Brian37 Wrote: Name me one believer now or ever that isn't looking for an excuse to believe? Theist confuse excuses to believe for evidence.
Of course that assumes they are looking to rationalize the decision at all. I'm not sure there is any obvious reason why one should subject everything they believe to rationalization. There is some question whether that is even possible. Perhaps there are some core beliefs/desires/values which are as basic as we can go? (I don't really know.)
(June 16, 2014 at 2:36 pm)Brian37 Wrote: Appeal to emotion and tradition are lousy reasons to hold a position.
So it seems to me too regarding core beliefs/desires/values which I don't myself hold. But I don't think I have to give up an expectation of fair play unless I can rationalize it. I'm not sure I'm in any position to be the arbiter of which beliefs require rationalization. The resolution of our dispositions toward individual gratification and communal cooperation may just be intrinsically messy with no final, 'correct' solution.
