Chapter 1: The Nature of Belief

If you are engaging with this material, it’s likely that you reside in a realm of "mostly-rightness." This signifies that you perceive about 99% of your beliefs as the most accurate understanding of reality. The reason you don’t claim "100%" is due to the Socratic acknowledgment that you may not possess complete knowledge and might be open to revising your beliefs when presented with compelling evidence.

When confronted with contradictory evidence, you typically respond in one of two ways: (a) dismiss the evidence and uphold your beliefs, or (b) make slight adjustments to your beliefs to quickly revert to a state of "mostly-rightness." Your mind prioritizes subjective usefulness over objective truth.

If your beliefs serve a functional purpose, you are inclined to maintain them, irrespective of their objective validity. While you may feel confident that your thoughts reflect "truth," it is perhaps more fitting to view them as "beliefs." These beliefs are assessed not based on their accuracy, but on how useful and adaptable they are.

Many pursue truth and seek honesty from their experiences, only to realize that truth can be painful. Reality is often harsh, indifferent, and apathetic, making the pursuit of being "right" more distressing than simply holding beliefs that serve you well.

This realization can be challenging, as your mind may argue, "Look at all my detailed justifications! My beliefs are logical, and I have gathered evidence to support them." Yet this is akin to asserting, "I have a solid understanding of what a horn is, based on my studies and experiences with horses. Therefore, unicorns must exist!" Just because you can articulate a concept doesn’t render it real.

In a world where many deny climate change, believe in a flat Earth, or hunt for mythical creatures, what are the odds that your beliefs might be unfounded? In truth, your mind is often indifferent to such matters.

If you do care about the truth and strive to align your beliefs with reality based on evidence, you place yourself among a minority. Choosing truth sometimes feels like opposing belief, and since most individuals favor belief systems, your dedication to truth may be perceived as unsettling.

This situation would be manageable if divergent beliefs didn’t clash. For instance, I believe in spaghetti, and you believe in lasagna. How do we navigate our culinary differences?

I can easily overlook the beliefs of others unless they are close to me. The beliefs of a stranger might seem inconsequential, but if a loved one rejects my conviction in spaghetti, the stakes become higher.

Suddenly, we find ourselves entangled in a struggle for "truth." Our justifications and evidence become ammunition in the ongoing debate over pasta supremacy. However, wielding truth as a weapon against beliefs is like swinging a sword at the wind; it results in nothing but intangible shadows.

It is not surprising that history is filled with examples of violence stemming from conflicting beliefs. While we can’t simply eliminate our loved ones, we often damage relationships. We create distance, allowing us to see each other as strangers, rendering differing beliefs irrelevant.

Complicating matters, beliefs are not static; they often evolve. We may hold one belief at one time and, based on new contexts, adopt another. It’s not that one belief was false and the other true; rather, both were perceived as valid at different points in time.

I once held a belief in spaghetti, later shifted to lasagna, and eventually recognized both as variations of pasta. Now, facing gluten intolerance, I must forgo both in favor of other carbohydrates.

It’s common for individuals to adjust their beliefs to meet the demands of their circumstances. Truth matters mainly as it shields us from deception. I’m less concerned with objective truth and more focused on whether what you express genuinely reflects your beliefs.

In this regard, we should pursue truth only to the extent that it protects us from dishonesty. Many assert beliefs that lack objective validity but genuinely believe them. They aren’t lying; they are simply mistaken. Commitment to truth is valuable primarily for distinguishing between someone who is deceptive and someone who is genuinely misinformed.

So, what actions should we take? Beliefs act like living entities, their survival contingent upon adaptability. They navigate through our minds, influencing us positively or negatively.

When faced with conflicting beliefs, a battle for dominance occurs within our minds. This often results in cognitive dissonance—the stress of trying to hold two opposing ideas that compels us to seek resolution.

Resolution occurs when one belief assimilates the other, or when both beliefs find a way to coexist through a more sophisticated understanding. Thus, our minds are in a state of perpetual conflict. New ideas emerge from learning and observation, existing beliefs evolve, and outdated beliefs are replaced.

Over time, wisdom matures as beliefs adapt, fostering individual growth, though this process often entails discarding numerous outdated beliefs. This evolution happens independently of the notion of "truth."

Truth serves merely as a filter, guiding the elimination of beliefs based on manipulation or deceit from the competition of ideas. A person aspiring to wisdom should actively expose themselves to diverse beliefs and depth of understanding. They should contemplate both the ordinary and the obscure, allowing the contest of ideas to reveal the strongest.

As individuals are exposed to new or varying perspectives, the process should resemble natural selection. The evolution of beliefs is a normal, natural outcome. Just as nature produces a multitude of animal forms, belief systems can take many shapes.

When we encounter others with conflicting beliefs, it is crucial to understand their origins. We must let their ideas challenge our own, as doing so fortifies our belief systems. If their beliefs persuade us, we should rejoice in our new understanding, for we are now better equipped with a more adaptive belief.

A person who has immersed themselves in a variety of ideas cultivates true wisdom, enabling them to discern the strongest, most viable beliefs.

This video, titled "Why Beliefs Matter, and How Do We Know If Our Beliefs Are True?" explores the significance of beliefs and their impact on our understanding of truth.

This lecture, "Who Dares Say He Believes in God?" delves into the complexities of belief and faith in the context of philosophical inquiry.