Looking at a glass as half full is a positive sentiment--unless it's already overflowing.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
More On Ditching Beliefs
I have no delusions that my perceptions are my own and are not truly reflective of reality. Knowing this, I try, however, to leave room for altering those views when new, valid, and useful information comes along.
Personally, I don't like the word "belief" because of all the religious baggage that comes with it and is not easily separated from it. I like to say I know something or I think something. The meaning of those words might seem similar to belief for some, but the connotations are completely different, which makes the words far from synonymous.
That being said, I would rather use the word perception instead of belief when it comes to the results of my interaction with the universe. Again, it doesn't have the religious baggage and is, therefore, more accurate.
Some people claim that this kind of stuff is minor--"only semantics," they might say. While I agree that it is semantics, it's instead very important and not something to be taken lightly. The words and phrases we use help to paint the picture we make of the world we see and experience. Definitions are useless because they leave out the most important thing--the connotations and context which give meaning, the actual thing we absorb and/or convey about a word or phrase. Poetry and fine literature wouldn't exist otherwise.
I would suggest that no two words are synonymous because meanings are different. I would also suggest that the same word heard/read by two different people are also not synonyms. Each person attaches subconscious meanings to everything heard or read. And, since no two people are alike, the meanings they develop will be unique.
Finally, for me, my atheism is simply a subset or side-effect of my non-belief on/about everything. I have purposely decided that beliefs are not virtuous and, therefore, need to go. People get killed over them as well as cause strife in ways too numerous to count. We need to keep our minds open for new quality information to inform our perceptions. If we believe something, it stops that from happening because a belief is a settled, static state of mind with explicit resistance of change and improved information. It's dangerous and holds back humanity from achieving new and wonderful things.
Personally, I don't like the word "belief" because of all the religious baggage that comes with it and is not easily separated from it. I like to say I know something or I think something. The meaning of those words might seem similar to belief for some, but the connotations are completely different, which makes the words far from synonymous.
That being said, I would rather use the word perception instead of belief when it comes to the results of my interaction with the universe. Again, it doesn't have the religious baggage and is, therefore, more accurate.
Some people claim that this kind of stuff is minor--"only semantics," they might say. While I agree that it is semantics, it's instead very important and not something to be taken lightly. The words and phrases we use help to paint the picture we make of the world we see and experience. Definitions are useless because they leave out the most important thing--the connotations and context which give meaning, the actual thing we absorb and/or convey about a word or phrase. Poetry and fine literature wouldn't exist otherwise.
I would suggest that no two words are synonymous because meanings are different. I would also suggest that the same word heard/read by two different people are also not synonyms. Each person attaches subconscious meanings to everything heard or read. And, since no two people are alike, the meanings they develop will be unique.
Finally, for me, my atheism is simply a subset or side-effect of my non-belief on/about everything. I have purposely decided that beliefs are not virtuous and, therefore, need to go. People get killed over them as well as cause strife in ways too numerous to count. We need to keep our minds open for new quality information to inform our perceptions. If we believe something, it stops that from happening because a belief is a settled, static state of mind with explicit resistance of change and improved information. It's dangerous and holds back humanity from achieving new and wonderful things.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Diplomatic Psychiatry
It seems that the tactics of diplomacy would be useful for psychiatrists. So many of them challenge someone's assertions as lacking merit that the patient simply shuts down or hardens their positions. In order to reach someone the first step is to sincerely and truthfully acknowledge that someone's feelings and view of their problems is real and possibly even valid. Many studies show that attacking a person's view of themselves or the world increases entrenchment of those positions. To get someone to move, attacking is, therefore, not the best option. First get on the patient's side and then make small challenges in an open way that does not include deceit.
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