Banno

I can't see this question as any more than "do we use the word belief for animals as well as humans?"

The OP has been re-worked.

Half a dozen folk trying to convince me I ought not be certain of what cannot be doubted. This is ridiculous.

Well, there's a few books about it. Sure you can play the game of pedant and claim confusion or evil daemon or whatever you like. There is no reason h...

that’s the trouble. You think in terms of a grand plan that answers everything. You expect me to play your game. I’m interested in discussion, not pre...

Thanks for the questions. Metaphor is a whole new subject; but I think it clear that the mind does not have places. The brain, on the other hand, can ...

But I said nothing of the sort. Again and again rather than honest discussion you disparage those with whom you disagree. This thread had some decent ...

I am certain that I am in Fremantle. What's your problem with that? It is that you can't do truth, nor certainty. And that means that the vast commonp...

and again you have not pointed out anything that is wrong with what I said.

Not in this case.

you may do as you wish. I’m going to have another gin and tonic. You can join me or not; but you probably will not.

it’s not just highly probable. It’s true. Doubt has no place here.

Certainty is a type of belief. I’m writing this in Fremantle while eating grilled local sardines. That’s not just probable, but certain.

Moore's paradox: I believe p, but p is not true. Compared to: I believe p, but I do not understand p. SO the further issue raised by @"Dawnstorm" stil...

This is good. Thinking it through, there are four possibilities: John believes that God exists It is not the case that John believes that God exists J...

Is there such a sharp distinction between syntax and semantics? How is it drawn?

Can't see it. Don't believe you.

So where is the stuff about ants?

IS it? So how did that work out?

Beliefs form part of the explanation for an action. Why did John put on his coat? John was cold. John believed that putting his coat on would make him...

When water is cold, it freezes. Now if the water did not freeze, at a suitable temperature we might justifiably seek an explanation; and that explanat...

No; because he does not know what "blue" is.

But will? Seriously?

SO, on your account, water believes it is cold, and hence decides to freeze.

:wink: Pretty cool things, these beliefs that do nothing.

Odd; you seem now to be adamantly agreeing with me. You have taught him to participate in a language game. In order to play, our friend must learn to ...

The underlying assumption here is that belief requires justification. Why should it?

How? What you will have done is to teach a new game - picking a colour swatch or whatever. Notice that in the very act of teaching the individual to p...

That's the contradiction. Any test you did to see if the individual believed the sky was blue would by that very fact be teaching them a translation o...

I think you must do better than just tell me what you can imagine. Some folk say they can conceive of a round square.

Either is utterable.

No; but could there be a belief that is unutterable? No. The propositional content of a belief implies that it can be stated. Mind you, that does not ...

Then when you admit to yourself that you don't have reason to doubt something, then, by definition, you have belief in it.

Nor an assurance that it is wrong. So why is it rational to doubt without reason, yet not to believe without reason?

:gasp:

What is all this shit about? Is it a choice between Trump and Mao? (You left him out of your pictures.)

Meh. In the end, he is your problem, not mine.

A bit too late, perhaps.

Dad told stories of building boats of tin and tar and rowing with four brothers under the near-completed coat hanger. That's transcendent.

I guess that works.

I was in the city last week. Wandered around the Rocks, the Domain and Macquarie Street. It put me in mind of the Faces in the Street. But I couldn't ...

What! Australian anti-establishment writing perhaps had a more direct foundation in class. Religion does not have the same place here as in the united...

Respect. Excellent topic. So i've read a bit of Emerson and thrown it away in frustration. Lawson is better. IS that just my Irish ancestry?

But the food? I much prefer a curry. One Belt One Road seems to be going down well in the Pacific. And the Chinese already own the South China Sea. Ha...

Seems the arse kissing continues.

Fair enough. Chaos before midnight visits, for me.

Australia was once essentially egalitarian, the mantra being that we look out for our mates. Universities, except for a brief period under Whitlam and...

Yes, it's us too. https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/rendezview/how-australia-became-the-dumb-country/news-story/eef010012e8879b0bcdf50192e4bfcb2

Cause or result?

Yeah. Makes me wonder if Australia should just throw it's lot in with China. Or India?