Can we choose our beliefs?

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Dworkin's picture
Can we choose our beliefs?

Folks,

This question is an old chestnut in undergraduate philosophy, but maybe still worth a look.

As a realist, I would like answer ‘No’, but I may be wrong. Consider the following: A person is diagnosed with terminal cancer, with 3 months left to live. The person, by an effort of will, refuses to accept that they will die and holds onto that belief. After 2 months the person suddenly dies in their sleep.

Well, this person has chosen a belief, albeit wrong, and has never had to face the truth that their belief was wrong. So, it would seem reasonable to admit that they had chosen their belief in this case. There may be other circumstances in which this dynamic plays out, and I am interested in the pathology.

D.

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Sheldon's picture
We cannot not, not choose to
Cognostic's picture
@Sheldon: I was attempting to
Whitefire13's picture
I do not, not “get you”...

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Whitefire13's picture
The Japanese add a depth to
Dworkin's picture
Whitefire,
Whitefire13's picture
Dworkin...
algebe's picture
@Whitefire13: For example,
Whitefire13's picture
I have no fucking clue how it
David Killens's picture
@ Dworkin
Dworkin's picture
David,
Tin-Man's picture
@Dworkin Re: "As I am
Whitefire13's picture
Dworkin ... “ However, I do
dogalmighty's picture
"However, I do feel that I
Cognostic's picture
@Dworkin: FUCK! How fucking
David Killens's picture
@ Dworkin
Sheldon's picture
FYI, it seems pretty obvious
Tin-Man's picture
@Dworkin
Whitefire13's picture
LOL ...
dogalmighty's picture
I do not, not know, what to
Whitefire13's picture
I do not, not know that “they
Cognostic's picture
@Tin! That was close! I
Tin-Man's picture
@Cog Re: "...but you missed
algebe's picture
@Dworkin: Can we choose our
boomer47's picture
@thread
Calilasseia's picture
The question that properly

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