What do you understand by "believe in"

[Lark]

People can choose a lot of things to believe in, God, their country, their nation, their party, what does it mean to you? How do you understand it?

I dont mean any of the ideas themselves so much as the belief and believing.

 

[Mesmeric_Moon]

Someone's interpretation of reality.
Explanations we accept to secure our survival that provide us with a sense of identity, meaning and a rational framework for our experience, which are necessary for us to be able to operate in the world.

 

[Coriolis]

To me, belief in something means accepting it in the absence of proof.

If I can prove something, or at least support it with convincing evidence, then I accept it as reality.

 

[rav3n]

Depends on how the words are used. Context matters since one can believe in scientific findings or believe in sky gods.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

It's a form of valuation; belief means that you value something highly. Think, for, instance, of what it mean to "believe in someone". I think people automatically go to religion, but it doesn't necessarily refer to belief in God.

Anyway, the debate about belief in God is boring to me. The larger definition of belief I just elucidated is more interesting.

 

[Lark]

It's a form of valuation; belief means that you value something highly. Think, for, instance, of what it mean to "believe in someone". I think people automatically go to religion, but it doesn't necessarily refer to belief in God.

Anyway, the debate about belief in God is boring to me. The larger definition of belief I just elucidated is more interesting.

And what does that mean?

 

[Coriolis]

Depends on how the words are used. Context matters since one can believe in scientific findings or believe in sky gods.

Or misused. IME if someone says they believe a scientific finding, then they are putting scientific inquiry on a par with religion. If I have to believe it, that is accept it without evidence, then it is not a scientific finding.

 

[Lark]

Or misused. IME if someone says they believe a scientific finding, then they are putting scientific inquiry on a par with religion. If I have to believe it, that is accept it without evidence, then it is not a scientific finding.

Are you familiar with scientism?

 

[rav3n]

Or misused. IME if someone says they believe a scientific finding, then they are putting scientific inquiry on a par with religion. If I have to believe it, that is accept it without evidence, then it is not a scientific finding.

This is only if you 'believe' that 'belief' can only be applied in one manner. There are multiple definitions and applications for belief.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

And what does that mean?

Huh?

 

[Cellmold]

Not all decisions are informed by a sense of objective data or ideas of rational choice, or perhaps better to say that many decisions made by people, while making use of these factors do not apparently use only these for the criteria of making choices.

Believing seems to be an example of one of our limitations in trying to rationalise our choices; we eventually seem to require (on average) something which cannot be essentially defined and which, I think, lies at the heart of the decision making process. Theologically or not..I would call it an ineffable element of human nature.

Obviously the degrees vary from individual to individual. Some are more likely to make decisions on measurably objective data than others & be more logical in their processing and vice versa in the other direction. A source of frustration for the extremes of these degrees in either direction I would imagine.

 

[Coriolis]

Are you familiar with scientism?

No.

This is only if you 'believe' that 'belief' can only be applied in one manner. There are multiple definitions and applications for belief.

There are. I accept (not believe) that the word is used in many ways, because I see the evidence of it with my own eyes and ears. Many of those uses, however, lead to confusion by treating unlike things in a like manner. This definition seems clearest in distinguishing belief from other forms of acceptance: "confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof".

 

[rav3n]

There are. I accept (not believe) that the word is used in many ways, because I see the evidence of it with my own eyes and ears. Many of those uses, however, lead to confusion by treating unlike things in a like manner. This definition seems clearest in distinguishing belief from other forms of acceptance: "confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof".

Definitions shift within cultures. The world doesn't revolve around your preferred definition of a word, lol.

 

[Madboot]

To have faith in. To believe in ones country is to have faith in the ideals of that country.

 

[Mole]

To have faith in. To believe in ones country is to have faith in the ideals of that country.

My father told me that the most dangerous people were idealists.

 

[StrawberryBoots]

People can choose a lot of things to believe in, God, their country, their nation, their party, what does it mean to you? How do you understand it?

I dont mean any of the ideas themselves so much as the belief and believing.

When I say I believe in someone (or a group of people), it means, they've proven they're competent, they've proven they have fortitude, they've proven they have integrity, and I trust they'll continue to, onward & upward.

 

[Coriolis]

Definitions shift within cultures. The world doesn't revolve around your preferred definition of a word, lol.

It is a common distinction made in science, as well as among those who discuss the differences and connections between science and faith. It helps to be clear on our meanings.

To have faith in. To believe in ones country is to have faith in the ideals of that country.

Exactly. One cannot prove anything about those ideals, other than that they exist, and some people accept them. This is the essence of belief. It is acceptance on some basis other than rigorous proof.

 

[Beorn]

This is the essence of belief. It is acceptance on some basis other than rigorous proof.

what do you believe to be rigorous proof?

 

[Lark]

No.


There are. I accept (not believe) that the word is used in many ways, because I see the evidence of it with my own eyes and ears. Many of those uses, however, lead to confusion by treating unlike things in a like manner. This definition seems clearest in distinguishing belief from other forms of acceptance: "confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof".

Scientism - Wikipedia

 

[Lark]

It is a common distinction made in science, as well as among those who discuss the differences and connections between science and faith. It helps to be clear on our meanings.


Exactly. One cannot prove anything about those ideals, other than that they exist, and some people accept them. This is the essence of belief. It is acceptance on some basis other than rigorous proof.

They exist?