Re:Strong beliefs, loosely held
by Retra on Wednesday May 10, 2017 @11:33PM
(#14313668)
If it were factually not a good idea to believe facts, then why shouldn't you simply disbelieve that fact? Your argument here is blatantly self-contradictory and demonstrably useless.
Facts should be believed because they are - by by definition and in practice - necessary to avoiding failure. Those things that cause failure are factual components of reality. If you don't believe in them, how can you hope to avoid them? Those things that lead to success are factual components of reality. If you don't believe in them, how can you hope to understand them? Etc., ad infinitum for all things.
Re:Strong beliefs, loosely held
by tabeth on Thursday May 11, 2017 @11:51AM
(#14316971)
Your premise -- that [facts] are necessary to avoiding failure -- is false. What dictionary are you reading that defines a fact as being something necessary to avoid failure?
Facts should be believed because they are - by by definition and in practice - necessary to avoiding failure. Those things that cause failure are factual components of reality. If you don't believe in them, how can you hope to avoid them? Those things that lead to success are factual components of reality. If you don't believe in them, how can you hope to understand them? Etc., ad infinitum for all things.