Quote:
Originally Posted by oojay
No one is arguing with you on that. No belief system can be proven. We can stop at that and have a beer if you'd like  I just don't see why you feel the need to take an active role in attempting to dismantle peoples' systems of belief. |
You're right that no belief system can be ultimately proven beyond all doubt (nothing can), but that doesn't mean all belief systems are equal. Different belief systems can have different credibility.
I think what we believe in and the way we think about the world deeply affects us, for example wars, what we teach in schools, how we decide on laws, how we are towards immigrants or even just how we talk to eachother on a regular basis. Thus, I do think belief systems and the like are important topics.
My wish is that they would teach critical thinking in school, not in order to decide for people what they should believe in, but to teach the
value of having an idea of the universe in ones head which closely resembles the real thing and to teach how to mentally separate the likely from the less likely, the credible from the incredible. I would like to live in an environment where truth thrives and lies starve and die from a lack of belief. I think so doing would benefit mankind and pull down some of those tall barriers between us.
I argue because I like arguing and feel involved and engaged by the subject, but a part of me also wants to convince others and show there are useful ways and methods of thinking about the universe - if not whoever it is I debate against, then other readers of my posts.