how do you decide what's true? well... it's pretty easy! also... you are missing something! credulous, skeptical, cynical, and then the total opposite of credulous! Most people hear something they don't want to believe so they believe the total opposite with no proof... so they have to make up something that sounds like proof.
Designed. Exactly. This is nothing more than an anti theism video. You operate under the assumption that Theists are not skeptical and have "thinking errors". They must have thinking errors because they don't think as you do.
It seems to me that is your thought process that is in err.
Actually, I believe that we all use all three approaches. I think that a theist is someone who is choosing not to apply skeptical reasoning to their belief in a God or in Supernatural agencies.
Theism is based on credulity. That said, there is nothing "wrong" with being credulous, but I do think intellectual honesty requires that one admit when one is choosing to be credulous.
My observation is that many theists lack insight about their decision to be credulous.
Finally the word skeptical has negative connotations, implying doubt. I would think that 'investigative' or 'inquiring' or some more appropriate word denoting to a more open-minded investigation of matters could be used. I mean does it serve us best to start out with a bias?
Yeah, a friend of mine had the same concern. She suggested "curious" as an alternative to "skeptical." I decided to keep skeptical because I want to make future videos that serve as a primer for skeptical reasoning, and I view this as a foundational video.
The other reason that I kept skepticism, is because I feel that doubt is good, as it is through the discipline of maintaining an attitude of uncertainty and doubt that we are able to avoid the pitfall of credulity.
I'm more than skeptical of your claim that we are all wired to get a rush from learning. If that were the case, we wouldn't need your encouragement to get out there and learn, we'd be driven by the rush. I know plenty of people who would much rather fish or sit around drinking and watching football than learning anything. This is so because pleasure is developed in our brains through conditioning.
I think your comparison with learning and video games misses the mark too, as you totally ignore the entertainment value. Sensory stimulation is not learning, and the more repetition of the stimulation the less stimulating it becomes, thus the reason kids become bored with the games.
Your assumption (as you have presented it)is that because you 'win' in an exchange of ideas that you are right. That CAN be a monumental fallacy, that may in fact steer you away from truth.
Yeah. This is not a philosophy video. It's an introduction to skeptical reasoning as a valuable tool and a fun activity. I leave the finer points up to the viewer.
Hmm. That's not what I learned on the NPR story I heard about video game design. That said, I'm sure you could come up with lots of examples. I just happen to like video games.
I prefer to think that we humans tend to find addictions, and we have lots of choices of addictive behaviors. This video is meant to persuade viewers toward the positive addiction of skeptical reasoning and learning.
I could have instead couched the "addiction" part in terms of random intermittent reinforcement schedules, but I wanted to keep it accessible for people without psych backgrounds. Who among us can't relate to the experience of addiction?
I'm a total learning addict. Great video. The process you describe is at the core of my philosophy. The place where you put the word 'RUSH', I would instead put the word 'WONDER'. Hence the name of my philosophy. Wonder is both the initial impetus to learn (you wonder about something), and the 'rush' you get at the end (your sense of wonder is inspired). BTW, I'm username 'natural' on RRS.
Thanks! I hope that this video is a useful tool for debating religion. I think that discussing credulity as a mindset can help people of faith gain insight into their thinking errors.
how do you decide what's true? well... it's pretty easy! also... you are missing something! credulous, skeptical, cynical, and then the total opposite of credulous! Most people hear something they don't want to believe so they believe the total opposite with no proof... so they have to make up something that sounds like proof.
JoshoMaun 3 years ago
Designed. Exactly. This is nothing more than an anti theism video. You operate under the assumption that Theists are not skeptical and have "thinking errors". They must have thinking errors because they don't think as you do.
It seems to me that is your thought process that is in err.
Yldii 3 years ago
Actually, I believe that we all use all three approaches. I think that a theist is someone who is choosing not to apply skeptical reasoning to their belief in a God or in Supernatural agencies.
Theism is based on credulity. That said, there is nothing "wrong" with being credulous, but I do think intellectual honesty requires that one admit when one is choosing to be credulous.
My observation is that many theists lack insight about their decision to be credulous.
psusac 3 years ago
I likes. =^_^=
JillianSwift 3 years ago
woot! thanks!
psusac 3 years ago
Finally the word skeptical has negative connotations, implying doubt. I would think that 'investigative' or 'inquiring' or some more appropriate word denoting to a more open-minded investigation of matters could be used. I mean does it serve us best to start out with a bias?
honey2heaven 3 years ago
Yeah, a friend of mine had the same concern. She suggested "curious" as an alternative to "skeptical." I decided to keep skeptical because I want to make future videos that serve as a primer for skeptical reasoning, and I view this as a foundational video.
The other reason that I kept skepticism, is because I feel that doubt is good, as it is through the discipline of maintaining an attitude of uncertainty and doubt that we are able to avoid the pitfall of credulity.
psusac 3 years ago
I'm more than skeptical of your claim that we are all wired to get a rush from learning. If that were the case, we wouldn't need your encouragement to get out there and learn, we'd be driven by the rush. I know plenty of people who would much rather fish or sit around drinking and watching football than learning anything. This is so because pleasure is developed in our brains through conditioning.
honey2heaven 3 years ago
I think your comparison with learning and video games misses the mark too, as you totally ignore the entertainment value. Sensory stimulation is not learning, and the more repetition of the stimulation the less stimulating it becomes, thus the reason kids become bored with the games.
honey2heaven 3 years ago
Your assumption (as you have presented it)is that because you 'win' in an exchange of ideas that you are right. That CAN be a monumental fallacy, that may in fact steer you away from truth.
honey2heaven 3 years ago
Yeah. This is not a philosophy video. It's an introduction to skeptical reasoning as a valuable tool and a fun activity. I leave the finer points up to the viewer.
psusac 3 years ago
Hmm. That's not what I learned on the NPR story I heard about video game design. That said, I'm sure you could come up with lots of examples. I just happen to like video games.
psusac 3 years ago
I prefer to think that we humans tend to find addictions, and we have lots of choices of addictive behaviors. This video is meant to persuade viewers toward the positive addiction of skeptical reasoning and learning.
I could have instead couched the "addiction" part in terms of random intermittent reinforcement schedules, but I wanted to keep it accessible for people without psych backgrounds. Who among us can't relate to the experience of addiction?
psusac 3 years ago
I'm a total learning addict. Great video. The process you describe is at the core of my philosophy. The place where you put the word 'RUSH', I would instead put the word 'WONDER'. Hence the name of my philosophy. Wonder is both the initial impetus to learn (you wonder about something), and the 'rush' you get at the end (your sense of wonder is inspired). BTW, I'm username 'natural' on RRS.
wonderist 3 years ago
Thanks! I hope that this video is a useful tool for debating religion. I think that discussing credulity as a mindset can help people of faith gain insight into their thinking errors.
psusac 3 years ago