[extropy-chat] HISTORY: Solv... Open the pod door pls Hal

[JDP]

Brett Paatsch a écrit (9.11.2003/14:02) :
> 
> If anyone can find the etymology of the word "belief" or 
> "believe" I would be interested.

<< In writing this piece I was pleased to learn about the etymology of
   the word 'belief'. As we mention in the paper, it derives from a
   degraded form of the Original Teutonic word 'galaubian', which
   means 'to hold estimable or pleasing; to be satisfied with',
   intensified by the addition of the prefix 'be'. Thus,
   etymologically, a belief is something with which one is thoroughly
   satisfied or much pleased. I often wonder if (and am thoroughly
   satisfied to hold that) this is true neurologically as well,
   muddying the distinction that we usually draw between belief and
   desire. Some of my philosophical heros argued this a long time ago:
   Ludwig Wittgenstein's discussion of the nature of 'a solution' fits
   in well with this notion, as does Charles Peirce's insistence that
   logic and epistemology must be grounded in aesthetics. >>

http://www.ualberta.ca/~chrisw/IndexLHSFrame.html

> I am also interested in 
> seeing if non-English and non-Slavic languages also have 
> a word that fills the same space as "belief".

French "croire" does, yes. In fact it is even much more used.

"Do you think the shop is still open? -- No, I don't think so."
=> "Tu crois que le magasin est encore ouvert ? -- Non, je crois pas."

It comes from Latin "credere" which means to lend, to entrust with, to
trust, to believe. Not the same original concept as the English one,
then.

To me, we indicate (and this is coherent with the Latin origin) the
amount of confidence we have by saying "I believe that" instead of "I
know for sure that". Which sounds fine to me, no reason to ban this
word.

Jacques