Belief

I claim not to believe in anything.
Eversince I started doing this nothing out of the ordinary has happened. The sky did not come crashing down or anything.
Now I'm starting to realize how much trouble I am avoiding.
(there is a bit of linguistical nuance here, this is really just a trick😉)

Originally posted by karoly aczel
I claim not to believe in anything.
Eversince I started doing this nothing out of the ordinary has happened. The sky did not come crashing down or anything.
Now I'm starting to realize how much trouble I am avoiding.
(there is a bit of linguistical nuance here, this is really just a trick😉)

Originally posted by Lord Shark
What is the distinction between belief that p, and making a claim that p? Only the public element I suspect, or the possibility of lying.

I wonder whether your linguistic nuance has in fact ensnared you in a paradox.

Do you believe that you don't believe anything?

If 'yes', then you have a contradiction, if 'no', then why make the claim?

From the movie 'Dogma'-(chris rock): It is better to have an idea than a belief because if something comes along and contradicts your beliefs it can really rock you,whereas ideas can be changed.
It is easier to change an idea than a belief, basically

Originally posted by karoly aczel
I claim not to believe in anything.
Eversince I started doing this nothing out of the ordinary has happened. The sky did not come crashing down or anything.
Now I'm starting to realize how much trouble I am avoiding.
(there is a bit of linguistical nuance here, this is really just a trick😉)

Originally posted by stoker
why would anything happen in this life. why did you think it would?
its the next life that the trouble comes.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
From the movie 'Dogma'-(chris rock): It is better to have an idea than a belief because if something comes along and contradicts your beliefs it can really rock you,whereas ideas can be changed.
It is easier to change an idea than a belief, basically

I'm sympathetic to your view but I use the term 'belief' in a different way to you.

If I say 'I believe that p' it just means that I hold that p is true. So we all have beliefs, you, me, theists, atheists, agnostics. we can't really function without them.

So I don't think beliefs are the problem at all, rather it is the process whereby people aquire and modify beliefs that is crucial.

For me, 'beliefs' could be looked at as being on a spectrum from tentative opinions at one end to dogmas at the other. You seem to be using 'idea' for beliefs on the opinion side of the continuum and 'belief' as synonymous with 'dogma'. I think that is confusing and so I disagree with your strategy.

Originally posted by Lord Shark
Originally posted by karoly aczel
[b]From the movie 'Dogma'-(chris rock): It is better to have an idea than a belief because if something comes along and contradicts your beliefs it can really rock you,whereas ideas can be changed.
It is easier to change an idea than a belief, basically

I'm sympathetic to your view but I use the term 'be ...[text shortened]... s with 'dogma'. I think that is confusing and so I disagree with your strategy.[/b]

Originally posted by karoly aczel
I totally agree with you, however I get this deep feeling that we are all wrong, even though we may be on the right track. So our beliefs are limiting, as much as we cherish and nuture them.
I agree to an extent, but I don't think there is a viable alternative to holding beliefs. I think the issue is to form them as reliably as we can, cherish them only to an extent that we can give them up in the face of plausible disconfirmation. But if we don't cherish or nurture some beliefs, we are just blown on the winds of fashionable orthodoxy.

As the old cliche goes, it is a question of balance.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
From the movie 'Dogma'-(chris rock): It is better to have an idea than a belief because if something comes along and contradicts your beliefs it can really rock you,whereas ideas can be changed.
It is easier to change an idea than a belief, basically

Originally posted by whodey
Have you ever believed in someone or something that, at times, caused those beliefs to be put to the test? Not all data will support your beliefs are valid even though that belief may be correct or well founded. In addition, if you have no belief, then you are less likely to fight for a cause/person that is "good". A good example is Winston Churchill durin ...[text shortened]... d continue to fight? In short, without such resolve in ones beliefs, where would we be today?

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Religous wars have rocked our history, people fighting in the name of their beliefs. Surely we must do what we can to alleviate suffering.
Lots of trouble in THIS world because of beliefs

Originally posted by karoly aczel
It is not good to have beliefs set in stone.
So, for example, if somebody starts with premises regarding the transcendental nature of god, that isn't good if they are set in stone either? That's good to know.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Good point
Let me put my position another way: It is good to belive and be 'fluid' about what you aspire to . It is not good to have beliefs set in stone.
the points I make on this forum are about higher (or subtle) learning
On the base level some good positive beliefs are no doubt beneficial,once we move to more psycological,(inner)learning Beliefs set in stone can be a limiting thing

Heres one answer for the 2 posts above:
Yes I had a belief when I took upon my origonal premise and part of that premise is that my belief(s) would be shattered upon completion of that premise.