[extropy-chat] Changing Other Poster's Minds

[Samantha Atkins]

Heartland wrote:
> Heartland:
>   
>>> The reality is that it takes many steps to change someone's mind.
>>> At each step you need to convince him/her of some point that is
>>> necessary to build your argument. It's a slow process that could
>>> take years or even decades depending on how emotionally
>>> attached a person is to his/her irrational beliefs...
>>>       
>
> Lee:
>   
>> Tch, tch, tch.  You don't get it.  The other beliefs are *not* irrational.
>> I wish that you and John Clark could see this. It's possible that they're
>> not even incorrect.  It's possible that it's a "conflict of visions" sort of
>> phenomenon.
>>     

Please define "rational".  Without a working agreed definition 
statements about the rationality/irrationality of X are without 
meaning.  By my working definition, rationality is adherence to reality, 
seeking to understand and perfect one's understanding of reality.  
Beliefs that start with rigorous adherence to a particular dogma without 
any appreciable evidence and even in contradiction to what is know of 
reality can in no wise be "rational" by such a definition.  Beliefs that 
are self-contradictory cannot be based in reality. 

- samantha