In the discussion on the last post on measurement, the definition of knowledge came up a few times. That's dredged up long standing thoughts I have about knowledge, which I've discussed with some of you before, but that I don't think I've ever actually put in a post. The ancient classic definition of knowledge is … Continue reading What is knowledge?
Tag: Belief
I was wrong
Fellow blogger, Steve Morris, did a post on the importance of admitting when you're wrong. He finished up his post with this challenge: So I had the amazing/stupid idea of putting this into practice on more formal terms. I propose to create an international Admit You’re Wrong Day. As many of you are bloggers, I challenge … Continue reading I was wrong
A Dialog on Happiness – Existential Comics
What is happiness? I think anyone who has ever given the question serious thought realizes that there is no one simple answer. Click though for the full version. via A Dialog on Happiness - Existential Comics. I would say that Amencia's first example is defective though. If the man hooked up to the machine is watching … Continue reading A Dialog on Happiness – Existential Comics
When We Use Fate As A Scapegoat
Making decisions can be difficult, and making a hard decision can up the stress even more. A new study suggests that when we have an especially hard decision to make, we're more likely to use the belief in fate as a coping mechanism. The study, published in the journal Psychological Science, suggests that believing that … Continue reading When We Use Fate As A Scapegoat
Belief in immortality hard-wired? Study examines development of children’s ‘prelife’ reasoning — ScienceDaily
By examining children's ideas about "prelife," the time before conception, researchers found results which suggest that our bias toward immortality is a part of human intuition that naturally emerges early in life. And the part of us that is eternal, we believe, is not our skills or ability to reason, but rather our hopes, desires … Continue reading Belief in immortality hard-wired? Study examines development of children’s ‘prelife’ reasoning — ScienceDaily
What Americans believe
Pew published the results of a new study this morning that is getting a lot of attention on the web: Six-in-ten Americans (60%) say that “humans and other living things have evolved over time,” while a third (33%) reject the idea of evolution, saying that “humans and other living things have existed in their present … Continue reading What Americans believe
Mystics and/or Atheists
James McGrath, a theologically progressive Christian, has a post up discussing the many varied conceptions of God: Mystics and/or Atheists. As I indicated on another post, the word 'God' can be used to refer to so many things, that it is accurate to say that we are all theists and all atheists in relation to some … Continue reading Mystics and/or Atheists