Belief a Conscious Choice?

[Sparko]

Sparko,
re: "...it is a conscious choice...based on evidence..."

If beliefs can be engendered by simply choosing to have them, then evidence is not necessary. But even if it were necessary, how would you know when you had it?

But nobody has argued for belief without evidence. That is why your thread and OP is a strawman. You come up with something nobody has argued for, then dare them to prove it. It is ridiculous.

[rstrats]

Sparko,
re: "But nobody has argued for belief without evidence."

So I ask again; how do you know when you have evidence? And once you realize that you have evidence, what is the state of your mind at that moment with regard to the truth about the issue in question?

[Sparko]

Sparko,
re: "But nobody has argued for belief without evidence."

So I ask again; how do you know when you have evidence? And once you realize that you have evidence, what is the state of your mind at that moment with regard to the truth about the issue in question?

How do you know YOU have evidence for something?

[mossrose]

How do you know YOU have evidence for something?

Because a famous Canadian PM once said,

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/qu...eti145285.html


"A proof is a proof. What kind of a proof? It's a proof. A proof is a proof. And when you have a good proof, it's because it's proven."

[rstrats]

Sparko,
re: "How do you know YOU have evidence for something?"

Hey, I asked you first.

[rstrats]

mossrose,
re: "A proof is a proof. What kind of a proof? It's a proof. A proof is a proof. And when you have a good proof, it's because it's proven."

And once you have a proven proof, then what with regard to the issue in question?

[mossrose]

mossrose,
re: "A proof is a proof. What kind of a proof? It's a proof. A proof is a proof. And when you have a good proof, it's because it's proven."

And once you have a proven proof, then what with regard to the issue in question?

Don't know. Haven't even read this whole thread. Just quoting a stupid man.

By the way, if you would like to quote someone in your post, just click on "reply with quote" on their post and it will automatically open up a box with their post in quotes for you.

[Sparko]

Sparko,
re: "How do you know YOU have evidence for something?"

Hey, I asked you first.

Do you understand what evidence is? It is information that leads you to believe in something.

Evidence can be good or bad. That is why we have some people who believe in UFOs or Leprechauns. Personally I don't find the evidence for either to be convincing. Therefore I can't "just choose" to believe in them for no reason at all.

[rstrats]

Sparko,
re: "... I don't find the evidence for...[leprechauns]... to be convincing."


So you're implying that the way that you would know that you had evidence for the existence of leprechauns is if the evidence convinced you of their existence?

[Sparko]

Sparko,
re: "... I don't find the evidence for...[leprechauns]... to be convincing."


So you're implying that the way that you would know that you had evidence for the existence of leprechauns is if the evidence convinced you of their existence?

Even with evidence I would have to decide whether to accept it or not. So belief is a choice. I have seen evidence of UFO's but I don't believe in Aliens flying around our planet in saucers. The chances of some alien race finding us in this galaxy is very small. And their technology would have to be incredible to make it here through interstellar space, so why can't they disguise their craft better and stop them from crashing all the time?

[Sparko]

Maybe a better example is politics. Democrats and Republicans each have various reasons why you should believe them and join with their side. And both parties have done things that are good, and bad. So it comes down to your choice of who you want to follow. You don't just wake up one day and say "OK I am going to be a democrat today, since I was republican yesterday"

[rstrats]

Sparko,
re: "Even with evidence I would have to decide whether to accept it or not."


I maintain that if beliefs can be engendered by simply choosing to have them, then evidence is not necessary. However, you say that you need evidence in order to consciously choose to believe things. So I ask again, how would you know when you had evidence?

[rstrats]

Sparko,
re: "You don't just wake up one day and say 'OK I am going to be a democrat today, since I was republican yesterday'".

It has to work that way. You can't be a democrat and a republican at the same time. There has to be an instant when your one designation changes from the one to the other.

[Sparko]

Sparko,
re: "Even with evidence I would have to decide whether to accept it or not."


I maintain that if beliefs can be engendered by simply choosing to have them, then evidence is not necessary. However, you say that you need evidence in order to consciously choose to believe things. So I ask again, how would you know when you had evidence?

First, you keep saying "simply choosing to have them" - but the problem is, is that it is your strawman version. Nobody makes that claim but you. Nobody says they simply choose to believe in something without evidence. That you keep ignoring this and repeating your strawman argument shows that you really don't care about facts, you just want to win some argument, and to do that you make up claims that nobody makes.

Sparko,
re: "You don't just wake up one day and say 'OK I am going to be a democrat today, since I was republican yesterday'".

It has to work that way. You can't be a democrat and a republican at the same time. There has to be an instant when your one designation changes from the one to the other.

Yes and it requires evidence to consider. The thing with evidence is, you can trust it or not.

If you ever sat in a jury and listened to witness testimony, that is evidence. Both sides will present such evidence. But it is up to the jury to weigh the evidence of both sides and then choose which one to believe. The evidence doesn't force you to make a specific choice, that choice is still yours to make using your own free will.

Now stop repeating yourself.

[rstrats]

Sparko,

I suggested the use of leprechauns for you to demonstrate your ability to consciously choose to believe things. What evidence would you need in order for you to do that?