[ExI] Basis of Belief

[Harvey Newstrom]

On Sunday 24 February 2008 01:15, giovanni santost wrote:
> I completely disagree,
>   the person of faith has strong believes that reason, evidence, scientific
> thinking is not to be trusted,

Right.  There is a misleading tendency in our brain to assume that everybody 
else must see the same things we see.  When we look at evidence and reach a 
conclusion, we falsely assume that other people looking at the same evidence 
will reach the same conclusion.  This simply isn't true.  Different people 
really do have difference values and beliefs.

People really do believe in their religions, or their politics, or their 
social theories.  Corporations really believe they are doing the right thing.  
Criminals really believe they are innocent.  People really believe the latest 
fad, urban legend, or pop theory making the rounds.  It is a mistake to 
interpret other people in terms of our own worldview.  This leads to the 
classic strawman fallacy where you see your own projection of the other  
position and really have no understanding of the actual other position at 
all.

-- 
Harvey Newstrom <www.harveynewstrom.com>
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