First just to say that I cannot but agree with a lot of what Incunabula have said but with significant nuances. In any case, it is a wonderfully written post. I enjoy getting criticism that I can learn from, even if I am not going to hide that my ego suffers
I could and probably be expected to defend any idea I have already mentioned. But I don't have to and I allow myself to change sides as many times as I like because I am trying to be in no closed ideology. As much as my ego likes to be right my existencial need for truth should overcome that. Another thing is how successful I can manage to be in such an enterprise. And you are welcome to think or express whatever you think of that.
I don't consider myself a hard relativist as I believe there is an absolute truth. I just don't think it can be attainable with our capacity, at least as of now. As well I think as much as we can try we cannot really separate our emotions from reason completely. The paradigm of our time can be having a strong weight in our perception, if we look at history it was clear past paradigms blinded our ancestors from valuable insights, so it should be safe to assume it is happening to us. Though it is never safe assuming. And our senses are not to be relied 100% as imperfect as they are.
A bit of background...I used to be a hard anarchist materialist. I had strong opinions that I believed to be truth and that could find plenty of examples to back up. I laugh at people who were spiritual, religious, capitalists, communists, etc...Really thought they were just wrong and despised them.
As long as I kept travelling around Europe I managed to keep my narrow mindedness. But once I went to Asia I was forced to leave my circle and stop feeding myself with the same kind of ideas continuously. Very slowly started to realize that deep enough nobody knows really anything with a complete certainty and got exposed to all kind of ideas. I don't know who said something like ''The problem with the world is that intelligent people is full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence ''.
Well I was definitely very confident and stupid, I might be still far from wise but I am sure to have improved. I just try to question anything I believe and try to understand what I don't. Of course, I fail miserably and I am not in any way a philosopher. So expect plenty of contradictions. And you might even think than instead of evolution I have been devolutioning.
When I say there is some kind of truth in any belief...never said there is an equal amount of truth...I mean all beliefs have some kind of truth and honesty under.
Just taking your crazy examples, I could say that even if the Earth is not flat it ''looks flat'' at first impression. And that perception is telling us something about our experience.
The nazis even if they behaved in some of the worst fashion we have seen in recent history had probably some valuable and honorable traits on their world view, etc...Maybe they were right in that Germany had been over-punished for First World War, I don't really know.
Basically my premise is that a belief can only be hold when it is honestly meaningful in that person and moment in time. And that's equal to its perception of reality. To his truth. So even if self-deceived a minimum part of the belief should have some valuable truth to make it possible.
I am conscious this can be quite weak at a phylosophical level. But I don't see how we could put the line otherwise in what has truth in it from what not. I resist from just objective facts due to our poor capability and the important subjective side.
It is easier from our advanced point of view to look at the past and see its faults. But without those mistakes, we could not be able to have our actual worldview.
I have to admit that I don't like scientists charging against religious beliefs. I am in no way religious but I had plenty of contact with Muslims and some of the most benevolent human people I've met were of that doctrine. Some of them were really smart people far from stupid and deserve high respect from me.
You could consider any ideology as brainwashing. Basically, it is brainwashing when it is thought to be bad and transmission of valuable knowledge when it is thought to be good.
I think to be respectful of other people beliefs is the only way to convince them of yours. As far as an opinion is expressed honestly it should be accepted as a valid position. You can argue any drawbacks but respect is an important thing.
As much as I wish we can one day find out about the origins of everything. I am afraid it might be just out of reach. Making a metaphor, it is for a man as difficult to understand the universe as it is for a neuron to understand humans. I repeat...metaphor...
Might sound like I am against Science but I think it is a really valuable method. A real game changer. Probably has its limitations and I think it is not the last stop in our journey. The subjective part of reality is an important part and for the moment at least, science is struggling. Anyway, scientist thinking they will get all answers are having pure and raw faith IMO. Especially as we are seeing that science is better at creating new questions that at answering them.
I think too that the randomness that scientific worldview confront us with might make our life less meaningful. IMO spirituality needs to be refined after the religious experiment, but we need that in some way or another.
As a conscious being trying to give meaning to my experience I cannot just put aside how ''magic'' is that we and the rest exist in the first place. As magic that all cultures studied have some kind of religion. Not all believe in Gods, though almost all, but all have a set of views on the big questions. It is a sure thing. If you are capable of formulate the questions you'll get a belief about them, even if it is just that there is no point in asking the questions in the first place.
Hope I made clear my confused point of view. To be honest I am a mess and I love it. And of course, be my guest and believe and criticize whatever you like.
