[extropy-chat] Depressing Thought. -Mapping words to referents

[Brett Paatsch]

Harvey wrote:

> In fact, I believe almost all spam are frauds. .... 
>

This (my post) is off your topic Harvey hence the relabelled
subject. 

I have some half-baked (perhaps) notion that using the
word "belief" endorses it as a meme and that that is not
helpful to reasoning. Its been hard for me to pin this down
as folks seems to misunderstand and insist they should be 
able to use any word they like ( I agree that they are *free*
to - I just don't get why they *choose* to as I think it
diminishes the communicative value of what they are saying
especially when they are talking to people who may be
*believers* of lots of wacky things and may use and 
therefore misinterpret others use of the same word
themselves).

In your use of the words "I believe" in the sentence above
would your *meaning*  still have been preserved/captured etc
by one or more of the following statements? 

"I reckon all spam are frauds"
"I think all spam are frauds".
"I infer that all spam are frauds"
"I conclude that all spam are frauds"

Perhaps some other word instead of belief?

Surely one of these would have NOT have served:

"I guess all spam are frauds"
"I posit all spam are frauds"
"I have faith that all spam are frauds"
"I accept that all spam are frauds"

Your feedback on this point with help me develop my mapping
model of others-words to others-referents. (I know that others
can see me doing this mapping exercise by posting on list - I want
that to happen too - but as only you know what you meant by
belief when you used it in a sentence only your feedback can
give me your intended referent.)  

Thanks
Brett
[In experimental communication engineering mode ;-)  

PS: I do think this may be surprisingly important but even if I
am wrong why not humor me.]