"I have no choice what to believe"

[_Ren]

The idea that “God is dead” was notably introduced by
Friedrich Nietzsche.

What Nietzsche failed to mention is that it was Professor Plum, in the Library with the Lead Piping.

[_barrelomonkeys]

The idea that “God is dead” was notably introduced by
Friedrich Nietzsche.

What Nietzsche failed to mention is that it was Professor Plum, in the Library with the Lead Piping.

See, now it all makes sense! Thanks Ren!

[_JAK]

I can't choose to believe something that I believe is false. I just can't make myself do it.

Wish I could.

barrelomonkeys,

There are three aspects of this issue of choice that are so obvious, they hardly need be mentioned.

1 No one can choose that which is outside their sphere of knowledge. For example, one can not choose to speak a foreign language to which they have never been exposed in any way. One may know the Russian language exists, but no exposure to it makes one incapable of speaking (or understanding or writing) that language.

2 One may be sufficiently programmed in a particular way of thinking, an attitude, etc. that one is hard wired, if you will, against choosing something outside or foreign to their mind-set.

3 This may seem like a variation of something above, but I’ll list it as precluding choice. It’s one’s particular mental capacity or mental talent. For example, a person of 18 with an accurately evaluated capacity of a 5 year-old, cannot choose to become a medical doctor. The capacity of such a person precludes choice to be a doctor (along with many other things).

Not to call this a specific aspect, I would add that we have in tens of millions of people those who are musical geniuses, but they may not be good at many other areas which are no less demanding of mental
capability. There are people brilliant at recall required for playing Jeopardy.

There is a board game called Trivial Pursuit (similar in mental requirements to Jeopardy).

Someone might be brilliant in a highly specialized way but appear rather or quite incompetent in other ways.

Therefore: CHOICE is always limited to individuals based on a variety of factors. Perhaps you can think of more general areas than I mentioned here.

Your point is correct also, that is, you can’t choose to believe “something that I (you) believe is false.”

JAK

[_barrelomonkeys]

Your point is correct also, that is, you can’t choose to believe “something that I (you) believe is false.”

JAK

And of course, that is all that matters.

[_JAK]

Your point is correct also, that is, you can’t choose to believe “something that I (you) believe is false.”

JAK

And of course, that is all that matters.

Well...

The more we know, the more options we have (all other things being equal). And, in today’s world of mass media communication, we can know or we can discover what could not possibly have been known by the general population. I’m considering here a time when few people could read or write and when word-of-mouth within very narrow circles was virtually the only way information was transferred.

How important is it that people have any beliefs beyond what they can access in reliable information? Why does it "matter"?

JAK

[_barrelomonkeys]

And of course, that is all that matters.

Well...

The more we know, the more options we have (all other things being equal). And, in today’s world of mass media communication, we can know or we can discover what could not possibly have been known by the general population. I’m considering here a time when few people could read or write and when word-of-mouth within very narrow circles was virtually the only way information was transferred.

How important is it that people have any beliefs beyond what they can access in reliable information? Why does it "matter"?

JAK

JAK, when I wrote "that is all that matters" I was referring to this statement of yours: "Your point is correct" :P

I am never amazed at what I do not know. I recognize that there is a world of knowledge that I will never be able to decipher and am quite hungry to just get a nibble every once in a while.

I don't believe I can answer your question. Can you answer it for me?