I actually posted this as a response to another post a few months ago, but got no response...maybe I'll get a bite if I post it on my own.
Is it possible to "test" whether a belief is genuinely held or not? As an example, I had an argument with one of my friends about whether or not killer whales would EVER eat people as food. I argued that if starving, yes, of course they would, just as people would. She argued the opposite and even cited an example of an overturned fishing vessel in killer-whale-populated-waters during a season when they were particularly short on food. I could not find an example of a killer whale ever eating a person; however, I still believe that under the correct circumstances it would happen.
Her belief that it would NEVER happen could be tested by giving her an opportunity to swim with a starving killer whale.
Could there be a less-than-lethal "litmus" test of this sort for other beliefs, such as religious ones? What would it be?
P.S.: She is actually one of my exes. For a while I kinda liked the thought of feeding her to the killer whales. Lol.
Tags:
Well sure, my thought about their behavior is just an idea, but it is very genuinely held, based on an educated guess. A hypothesis if you will. I would argue that not only was my friend wrong, but that she also didn't believe her own argument (that a killer whale would never eat a human being, presumably because of empathy or something).
Started by maruli marulaki in Ethics & Morals May 14, 2020. 0 Replies 1 Like
Started by Andrew Guthrie in Religion and the Religious, Atheism and Atheists. Last reply by 34u0tmz9oc778 Apr 16, 2020. 1 Reply 0 Likes
Started by D L in Small Talk. Last reply by 34u0tmz9oc778 Apr 21, 2020. 1 Reply 0 Likes
Started by rudrappa agadi in Pseudoscience, The Paranormal, and Conspiracy Theories. Last reply by 34u0tmz9oc778 Apr 9, 2020. 1 Reply 0 Likes
Started by D L in Small Talk. Last reply by D L Aug 8, 2020. 6 Replies 1 Like
Posted by James C Rocks on November 12, 2020 at 10:49am 5 Comments 0 Likes
Posted by ETRON on September 6, 2019 at 12:44pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
© 2022 Created by Rebel.
Powered by