I like to make a distinction between "belief" and "opinion." This
kinda reflects ordinary usage but is also a bit technical. One obtains a
belief by being indoctrinated, generally in childhood but for some
people this is possible at any age, while one gets an opinion by
learning about it and becoming persuaded that the evidence is good
enough to say it is probably true.
We aren't really consciously aware of our beliefs; we are about our opinions. That is to say a belief is taken for granted, like the furniture you sit on in the living room, you rarely if ever actually notice its presence. Opinions on the other hand tend to get scrutinized more often. Beliefs are not questions and usually have aspects designed to prevent their being questioned, such as "faith" and guilt for doubting. Most people however don't really need these crutches -- they believe out of habit and instinct, and in fact react with shock and anger when someone doubts or challenges them. This is especially the case when they realize they are not able to defend the belief rationally but must resort to rationalization and logical fallacies and slogans. (Of course the "realization" I mention is not conscious, but is only felt as what is called "cognitive dissonance.")
The ability to "believe" like that seem wired into us, something we evolved as animals, probably as a group coherence mechanism, and that has been supported by the fact that failure to believe has throughout history been a dangerous course.
Beliefs can be good and give us comfort and peace and even joy, but they often are delusions held in place by childhood indoctrination that divide mankind and have created the possibility if not the likelihood of our causing our own extinction. They need to be identified, scrutinized, and then either converted to opinions or expunged. That so few people do this is probably because it is so against the interests of religions and ideologies and governing institutions that it tends to be discouraged and suppressed.
We aren't really consciously aware of our beliefs; we are about our opinions. That is to say a belief is taken for granted, like the furniture you sit on in the living room, you rarely if ever actually notice its presence. Opinions on the other hand tend to get scrutinized more often. Beliefs are not questions and usually have aspects designed to prevent their being questioned, such as "faith" and guilt for doubting. Most people however don't really need these crutches -- they believe out of habit and instinct, and in fact react with shock and anger when someone doubts or challenges them. This is especially the case when they realize they are not able to defend the belief rationally but must resort to rationalization and logical fallacies and slogans. (Of course the "realization" I mention is not conscious, but is only felt as what is called "cognitive dissonance.")
The ability to "believe" like that seem wired into us, something we evolved as animals, probably as a group coherence mechanism, and that has been supported by the fact that failure to believe has throughout history been a dangerous course.
Beliefs can be good and give us comfort and peace and even joy, but they often are delusions held in place by childhood indoctrination that divide mankind and have created the possibility if not the likelihood of our causing our own extinction. They need to be identified, scrutinized, and then either converted to opinions or expunged. That so few people do this is probably because it is so against the interests of religions and ideologies and governing institutions that it tends to be discouraged and suppressed.
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