'Haste makes waste" seems to me an observation stated rather than a belief. One may file it away in the area of the brain which has already recorded the observation that "Any fool can learn from his own mistakes, but the wiseman learns from the mistakes of others.'
Some people are born knowing 'right from wrong' and others have never known that concept. I observed someone close who was very strange, since childhood. i believe this person had been 'possessed' as a little child. All her life, she did anything she wanted to do to benefit herself; and never gave a thought to others. I remember the moment something occurred, when she was two years old. it was at a point, when a woman died...and came and 'possessed' her granddaughter. Things like this can happen!
Do you want to analyze irrational behavior or do about something it? Long before brain imaging to understand human behavior, we already had all the tools we needed for a hopeful humanity. We didn’t take advantage of the gifts we were given, and what a shocker — we don’t make good use of those fancy new insights either.
Enough talk! It's time to act:
Subject: V for Victory & Venom for Values: America’s Descent Into the Abyss
Conventional means have no chance of breaching the envelope of intransigence around armies of unreachables in the trench warfare of our times. But integrate those same tools into an unconventional framework for honest debate — and now you’ve got something. The 11th edition of Social Psychology has the domino effect on the cover. They’ve got an image of an idea — I’ve got the idea. Your field is forever fighting the forces of human nature whereas my solution banks on it. I have a very specific target audience to get this in gear, so it wouldn’t take much. One email could set off a chain of events that could open the door to the kind of conversation this nation’s never had. World-renowned psychologist Dr. Elliot Aronson put me onto his friend and fellow renowned psychologist, Dr. Phil Zimbardo. For medical reasons, he’s unable to get involved, but in response to an email on the essence of my idea, he wrote: “Very Interesting and original.” Seems like that should count for something.
If you’re not a fiercely independent thinker willing to put some time and effort into understanding this story and the potential impact of my idea, this is not for you. But perhaps you could please pass it along to someone who fits the bill: Someone who loves learning as much as they love teaching.
10 years ago, I set out to tell a larger story about the decline of America from decades of dishonesty and systematic self-delusion. No one listened, and lo and behold — those times were tame compared to today. In the last few years — I’ve seen savagery beyond anything that inspired the doc (and that’s what gave me the idea). Back then, it was about going up against institutions and putting up a mirror to all of America. Now, I just need to get to one man. Festinger would have a field day with the cult-like following of this professional know-it-all (who peddled partisan hackery on the biggest and most costly lie in modern history). He’s worshipped for “following the facts.” Never mind he flagrantly ignored irrefutable evidence of mathematical certainty in centrifuge physics (not to mention his patently obvious history of toeing the party line).
All of which flies in the face of the principles upon which he’s put on a pedestal.
The subject line is about a fantasyland for fragile egos: Where you can "win" an argument without even knowing what it's about. That’s everywhere, but PKIA’s crowd takes the cake. The underworld of absurdity around this Professional Know-It-All is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I’m practically spit on by people promoting principles I followed to find he didn’t. His disciples see him as some kind of saint-like Sherlock Holmes. And that is an opportunity! How do we make people realize they’ve been lied to? You have to knock down one small pillar that’s easier to reach. I’ve got the perfect pillar — on a matter of world-altering consequence that shaped everything you see today. A student wrote of her psychology professor: “Tim Wilson taught me the importance of breaking problems down into more manageable pieces.” Lo and behold, at the bedrock of my idea is exactly that. If you want to start solving problems, first you need to clear the clutter that’s crippled this country. To do that, you don’t go after everything, you go after one thing that ties to everything. And you do it by holding one man to his own “standards.”
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Richard W. Memmer
***********************************
According to Donald J. Robertson's Substack on "Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life":
[Marcus Aurelius] Argued that Kindness is More Manly than Anger. See how far kindness gets you with this crowd (or any other overture in the interest of truth and understanding):
Sowell lied about a war that shaped everything you see today — and got off scot-free (as did both parties). Lemme save you some time: The first word that doesn't reflect someone seeking in-depth discussion — will be the last word I read. Thank you 🙏
What Happened to All This Jazz? Sowell & His Mindless Slogan Slingers
Hi John, I typically absorb information rather than comment, but I believe we have a similar way of interpreting information. I have spent the last six plus years examining the basic epistemological model with the Venn diagram etched in my mind as I drill down to the core of sense, thought, memory, feelings, etc... The knowledge that is gleaned from where the circle of belief and the circle of fact are overlapping is very effective for developing what I call pragmatism of thought. This post is excellent; however, I would like to expound on what you said about belief. Where you mentioned that belief is rarely fact is absolutely accurate; however, I believe (there's that word again) the primary culprit of confusion occurs when people arrive at a so called "personal belief" such as ones interpretation of "what I believe is true" which may be interpreted as a fact. When this egregious error is made by a person, cohort, or society it seems that a great deal of time and energy is spent trying to convince others that "my personal belief is fact, and you should believe the same thing". At this point of confusion a maligned actor has the opportunity to perhaps create fake news, fake science, invalidate truth, and even create a cult. When this cognitive dissonance occurs people are susceptible to acquiring lemming like behavior following the drum beat to the cliff make the ultimate sacrifice. It is for this reason that I believe (there's that word again) that lucid and pragmatic free thinkers should strive to help others develop a resolute understanding of what truly is an actual fact, and a belief no matter how well placed should be discerned as something open to interpretation and not something that may send a country to war.
To rise above the selfish delusion that each of us needs to control everything in our environment in order to survive, it appears that we need to believe in something greater than ourselves. From my experience, I have formed a working hypothesis that each person eventually chooses a mentor, a hero, a leader, a God, or a guiding tenet of life and latches onto it until death or disappointment. My experience (which includes reading and other sources of information) suggests that these choices answer the age old question of 'why am I here?' and 'what is my purpose in life?' With that question firmly answered (whether a 'good' choice or 'bad' one) each of us proceeds more or less merrily along, content in the knowledge of who we are, until disappointed by facts contrary to our chosen purpose.
Chris: Yes. However "Beliefs" as I've used it in this commentary are not restricted to religious Beliefs. Note the example I used: "haste makes waste."
1) What is the (simple and precise, if possible) definition of “belief”? There is no reference in the text other than vague descriptive examples. Without definition, we don’t know what we are talking about or we will be talking about different things only assuming that we refer to the same concept.
2) The chart puts belief as a kind of “originator” of the whole chain of phenomena. Is it correct to assume that belief is something upon which everything else is built? In what way? What is the “event” in this chain?
3) How would “happiness” be defined in this chain?
4) What is the meaning of arrows in the chart? Is it a consequence (what kind of?), temporal serialization? cause and effect? anything else?
5) Learning is generally a prolonged process based on selective acquisition. How can beliefs be learned by a 2-year-old child?
6) The distance from beliefs to actions appears to be quite big and is over a series of gates or verification processes, tangible or not, conscious or not, dependent on external factors or not. Under so many influences beyond control of the person, how can beliefs “determine” anything? (“happiness” omitted due to the absence of definition)
7) What about conflicting influences? (“Don’t hate me because I am beautiful,” according to Kermit.) How do they affect the whole chain?
Dan: TY for your observations. Yes, I assumed that we understand what a "belief" is, as it is a commonly used word, that isn't that complicated.... The graph was not showing Belief as an originator, but rather as an initial condition (we all have some beliefs). An event then happens, and we search through our Beliefs to see whci one(s) apply. Etc.
This approach turns this article into a fiction piece.
When I first saw it, I thought, great, some kind of a guidebook how to ready myself and make actionable conclusions. Definitions are like curb lines: they set up the ground where we can behave in a way prescribed for it. No definitions, no use.
> Belief as an originator, but rather as an initial condition (we all have some beliefs)
How would it apply to a scientists doing research in physics or to a road worker making a road?
> An event then happens
What kind of event?
> and we search through our Beliefs to see whci one(s) apply. Etc.
This implies being aware of our beliefs and being able to classify them and assign or push back in the relevant situation. I think even chess masters are not up to this scenario.
Dan: Sorry that your BELIEF is now that my commentary is a fiction piece. There are some prior beliefs you have that came into play when I published this (the Event), etc.
I suggest that you identify those prior beliefs, and then reconsider whether thay apply.
Beliefs in western culture originate from religion, as far as I can tell. Once people accept something as true that they don't actually know to be true, they can be misled to hold all sorts of falsehoods.
Dan: Beliefs as I am discussin here are opinions of all shapes and sizes — and most have little to do with religion. For example, a person may have the Belief that climate change is an immanent threat to our existence.
'Haste makes waste" seems to me an observation stated rather than a belief. One may file it away in the area of the brain which has already recorded the observation that "Any fool can learn from his own mistakes, but the wiseman learns from the mistakes of others.'
Chris
Some people are born knowing 'right from wrong' and others have never known that concept. I observed someone close who was very strange, since childhood. i believe this person had been 'possessed' as a little child. All her life, she did anything she wanted to do to benefit herself; and never gave a thought to others. I remember the moment something occurred, when she was two years old. it was at a point, when a woman died...and came and 'possessed' her granddaughter. Things like this can happen!
Question.
What's the difference between a"knowing" and "beliefs"?
Or, perhaps there no "knowing" and it's all "beliefs"?
MD: Please reread under the "Beliefs are" section.
Do you want to analyze irrational behavior or do about something it? Long before brain imaging to understand human behavior, we already had all the tools we needed for a hopeful humanity. We didn’t take advantage of the gifts we were given, and what a shocker — we don’t make good use of those fancy new insights either.
Enough talk! It's time to act:
Subject: V for Victory & Venom for Values: America’s Descent Into the Abyss
Conventional means have no chance of breaching the envelope of intransigence around armies of unreachables in the trench warfare of our times. But integrate those same tools into an unconventional framework for honest debate — and now you’ve got something. The 11th edition of Social Psychology has the domino effect on the cover. They’ve got an image of an idea — I’ve got the idea. Your field is forever fighting the forces of human nature whereas my solution banks on it. I have a very specific target audience to get this in gear, so it wouldn’t take much. One email could set off a chain of events that could open the door to the kind of conversation this nation’s never had. World-renowned psychologist Dr. Elliot Aronson put me onto his friend and fellow renowned psychologist, Dr. Phil Zimbardo. For medical reasons, he’s unable to get involved, but in response to an email on the essence of my idea, he wrote: “Very Interesting and original.” Seems like that should count for something.
If you’re not a fiercely independent thinker willing to put some time and effort into understanding this story and the potential impact of my idea, this is not for you. But perhaps you could please pass it along to someone who fits the bill: Someone who loves learning as much as they love teaching.
10 years ago, I set out to tell a larger story about the decline of America from decades of dishonesty and systematic self-delusion. No one listened, and lo and behold — those times were tame compared to today. In the last few years — I’ve seen savagery beyond anything that inspired the doc (and that’s what gave me the idea). Back then, it was about going up against institutions and putting up a mirror to all of America. Now, I just need to get to one man. Festinger would have a field day with the cult-like following of this professional know-it-all (who peddled partisan hackery on the biggest and most costly lie in modern history). He’s worshipped for “following the facts.” Never mind he flagrantly ignored irrefutable evidence of mathematical certainty in centrifuge physics (not to mention his patently obvious history of toeing the party line).
All of which flies in the face of the principles upon which he’s put on a pedestal.
The subject line is about a fantasyland for fragile egos: Where you can "win" an argument without even knowing what it's about. That’s everywhere, but PKIA’s crowd takes the cake. The underworld of absurdity around this Professional Know-It-All is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I’m practically spit on by people promoting principles I followed to find he didn’t. His disciples see him as some kind of saint-like Sherlock Holmes. And that is an opportunity! How do we make people realize they’ve been lied to? You have to knock down one small pillar that’s easier to reach. I’ve got the perfect pillar — on a matter of world-altering consequence that shaped everything you see today. A student wrote of her psychology professor: “Tim Wilson taught me the importance of breaking problems down into more manageable pieces.” Lo and behold, at the bedrock of my idea is exactly that. If you want to start solving problems, first you need to clear the clutter that’s crippled this country. To do that, you don’t go after everything, you go after one thing that ties to everything. And you do it by holding one man to his own “standards.”
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Richard W. Memmer
***********************************
According to Donald J. Robertson's Substack on "Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life":
[Marcus Aurelius] Argued that Kindness is More Manly than Anger. See how far kindness gets you with this crowd (or any other overture in the interest of truth and understanding):
Sowell lied about a war that shaped everything you see today — and got off scot-free (as did both parties). Lemme save you some time: The first word that doesn't reflect someone seeking in-depth discussion — will be the last word I read. Thank you 🙏
What Happened to All This Jazz? Sowell & His Mindless Slogan Slingers
https://onevoicebecametwo.life/2024/05/21/what-happened-to-all-this-jazz-sowell-his-mindless-slogan-slingers/
Hi John, I typically absorb information rather than comment, but I believe we have a similar way of interpreting information. I have spent the last six plus years examining the basic epistemological model with the Venn diagram etched in my mind as I drill down to the core of sense, thought, memory, feelings, etc... The knowledge that is gleaned from where the circle of belief and the circle of fact are overlapping is very effective for developing what I call pragmatism of thought. This post is excellent; however, I would like to expound on what you said about belief. Where you mentioned that belief is rarely fact is absolutely accurate; however, I believe (there's that word again) the primary culprit of confusion occurs when people arrive at a so called "personal belief" such as ones interpretation of "what I believe is true" which may be interpreted as a fact. When this egregious error is made by a person, cohort, or society it seems that a great deal of time and energy is spent trying to convince others that "my personal belief is fact, and you should believe the same thing". At this point of confusion a maligned actor has the opportunity to perhaps create fake news, fake science, invalidate truth, and even create a cult. When this cognitive dissonance occurs people are susceptible to acquiring lemming like behavior following the drum beat to the cliff make the ultimate sacrifice. It is for this reason that I believe (there's that word again) that lucid and pragmatic free thinkers should strive to help others develop a resolute understanding of what truly is an actual fact, and a belief no matter how well placed should be discerned as something open to interpretation and not something that may send a country to war.
Chase: TY for some excellent and thoughtful comments.
To rise above the selfish delusion that each of us needs to control everything in our environment in order to survive, it appears that we need to believe in something greater than ourselves. From my experience, I have formed a working hypothesis that each person eventually chooses a mentor, a hero, a leader, a God, or a guiding tenet of life and latches onto it until death or disappointment. My experience (which includes reading and other sources of information) suggests that these choices answer the age old question of 'why am I here?' and 'what is my purpose in life?' With that question firmly answered (whether a 'good' choice or 'bad' one) each of us proceeds more or less merrily along, content in the knowledge of who we are, until disappointed by facts contrary to our chosen purpose.
Just some thoughts.
Chris: Yes. However "Beliefs" as I've used it in this commentary are not restricted to religious Beliefs. Note the example I used: "haste makes waste."
1) What is the (simple and precise, if possible) definition of “belief”? There is no reference in the text other than vague descriptive examples. Without definition, we don’t know what we are talking about or we will be talking about different things only assuming that we refer to the same concept.
2) The chart puts belief as a kind of “originator” of the whole chain of phenomena. Is it correct to assume that belief is something upon which everything else is built? In what way? What is the “event” in this chain?
3) How would “happiness” be defined in this chain?
4) What is the meaning of arrows in the chart? Is it a consequence (what kind of?), temporal serialization? cause and effect? anything else?
5) Learning is generally a prolonged process based on selective acquisition. How can beliefs be learned by a 2-year-old child?
6) The distance from beliefs to actions appears to be quite big and is over a series of gates or verification processes, tangible or not, conscious or not, dependent on external factors or not. Under so many influences beyond control of the person, how can beliefs “determine” anything? (“happiness” omitted due to the absence of definition)
7) What about conflicting influences? (“Don’t hate me because I am beautiful,” according to Kermit.) How do they affect the whole chain?
Dan: TY for your observations. Yes, I assumed that we understand what a "belief" is, as it is a commonly used word, that isn't that complicated.... The graph was not showing Belief as an originator, but rather as an initial condition (we all have some beliefs). An event then happens, and we search through our Beliefs to see whci one(s) apply. Etc.
> I assumed that we understand what a "belief" is
This approach turns this article into a fiction piece.
When I first saw it, I thought, great, some kind of a guidebook how to ready myself and make actionable conclusions. Definitions are like curb lines: they set up the ground where we can behave in a way prescribed for it. No definitions, no use.
> Belief as an originator, but rather as an initial condition (we all have some beliefs)
How would it apply to a scientists doing research in physics or to a road worker making a road?
> An event then happens
What kind of event?
> and we search through our Beliefs to see whci one(s) apply. Etc.
This implies being aware of our beliefs and being able to classify them and assign or push back in the relevant situation. I think even chess masters are not up to this scenario.
Dan: Sorry that your BELIEF is now that my commentary is a fiction piece. There are some prior beliefs you have that came into play when I published this (the Event), etc.
I suggest that you identify those prior beliefs, and then reconsider whether thay apply.
Beliefs in western culture originate from religion, as far as I can tell. Once people accept something as true that they don't actually know to be true, they can be misled to hold all sorts of falsehoods.
Dan: Beliefs as I am discussin here are opinions of all shapes and sizes — and most have little to do with religion. For example, a person may have the Belief that climate change is an immanent threat to our existence.