You do not "choose" your beliefs. You are (EITHER) CONVINCED (OR) UNCONVINCED.
Belief is YOUR evaluation of YOUR personal set of conditioned data (INTRA-SUBJECTIVE).
So then, how is this...
YOU were largely programmed (INCULCATED) to believe most of what you think that you believe (BASE PROGRAMMING, FIRMWARE).
Once YOU have been formatively programmed (INCULCATED, BIOS FLASHED) it becomes very difficult to properly re-programme (FIRMWARE UPDATE). It's very difficult to change your mind (RE-PROGRAM, DE-PROGRAM).
...not subject to your first point? Do we share a personal set of conditioned data?
We share basic hardware (biological, instinctual) similarities and basic firmware (primary childhood experience) similarities.
This is evidenced by our ability to communicate. These (inter-subjective) similarities are prerequisite to our intellectual interaction.
#ETHICS - It is unethical to blame someone for their beliefs.
#PHILOSOPHY - How beliefs are formed is epistemologically significant.
#LIBERTARIAN - Knowing when and how to respect the beliefs of others is the core promise of libertarian philosophy.
#INFORMATIONWAR - The great informationwar is primarily driven by belief conflict.
#LOGICZOMBIE - Searching for logical coherence.
#INTP - Pure analysis without preconceptions.
ZOMBIEBASICTRAINING
+proHUMAN +proFAMILY
Your scathing critique is requested.
Agreed. It is evident in those among us who shout that nature is not what is clearly before our eyes.
I have witnessed this so much with myself over my life. One of the few advantages I have over many is my ability to not feel I have to make my stand over information/perceptions if they are not a direct threat to me.
I choose to believe in things.
When did you "choose" to believe in water?
I was about two years old when I started choosing to drink water.
When did you "choose" to believe in water?
When I was about two years old. Well, I was probably choosing milk first.
Are you suggesting that before age 2, you thought water was simply imaginary?
My thoughts are not always beliefs. There are differences between intellectual thought and choices from the soul.
Having undertaken the arduous task of assessing my beliefs, I can but concur that we are easily delivered them, but only dissuaded them with great difficulty. I have become confident that upon careful examination of my physical capabilities, the bandwidth available, and my processing power, that I am wrong to some degree about everything I believe.
As a result of my harrowing re-examination of my basal beliefs in the light of this capability, I have become far less judgmental of others, and even less dogmatic regarding my own current assessment of reality.
Thanks!
On those occasions when I have encountered new information and changed a belief I have always received negativity. It always surprises me
That's unfortunate, but there are people (and I'm actively seeking them out) who appreciate open civil debate and a willingness to entertain alternative perspectives (and appreciate a scathing critique).
I agree 100%.
I continuously strive to be "less wrong".
I choose to disagree.
Do you "choose" to disagree because you are UNCONVINCED?
Or do you "choose" to disagree for "no reason" (randomly).
Convinced vs Choices:
I may or may not be convinced when I choose to do and believe something. On a conscious level, that is true, psychologically.
Subliminally
On a subliminal level, that is even more true. Being convinced can be emotional, intellectual, physical, metaphysical, theoretical, abstract, and/or spiritual. There are different dimensions, different levels, to all of this. We feel things. We do things. We say things.
Logically Accurate
You can be right to the extent of absolute objectivity, perhaps from a perspective of omniscience. The problem is that we may not always have a clear understanding of what is really happening.
Blinded
We can be too blinded by subjectivity, etc. So, being convinced can lead to me believing certain things.
Stubborn
However, I can choose to defy that at the same time. I can harden my heart and choose to go against what I am convinced of. People do this all the time. People do what they do not believe in all the time.
Freewill vs Determinism
So, life has freewill. If what you are saying endorses predestination and no freewill, then you are in fact promoting human-robotism or some kind of intellectualism to say that once you convince somebody of something, then they will do what commanded them to do perhaps.
Do you believe advertising can CONVINCE people to buy specific products?
Smokers may say they are convinced that smoking is bad. But some smokers choose to continue smoking.
Consumers may say they are convinced that sugary treats are bad. But most consumers are not convinced they must STOP eating sugary treats.
Simply being convinced that something is "bad" is not the same as being convinced to stop.
True, but they still may say it. So, our understanding of being convinced is skewed at times. Plus, we do in fact rebel against what we know is right at times.
We sometimes test the limits of our conviction.
Do you believe advertising can CONVINCE people to buy specific products?
Do you believe that advertising generates sales?
Advertisements generally works on a sub-convincing level.
People can be convinced by intuition or by emotion or by logic.
Often subconscious conviction is stronger than conscious conviction.
I admire your art in asking questions. Seeing it in the comments below (uhm ... above :), that creates a really good dialogue. I tend to write long texts, though mingled with questions which people tend to ignore, maybe thinking they are of rhethorical nature, which they aren't. I guess, this is a consciously made choice by you.
I'm flattered by your assessment!
I try to engage to the best of my ability.
I get most of my best ideas from engaging in civil debate.
:) I felt, it was something to tell you, as I had this thought right here and now.
The video is kind of fast, so I must watch it again.
Thanks!!