A Problem?

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gurglingmonkey

More Amazing in RL
Registered Senior Member
Is there a problem with someone having a false belief that has no negative effects or consequences?
 
Who's to say what's false? Human perception is subjective any way.

To answer your question: no, I don't think there is.
 
gurglingmonkey said:
Is there a problem with someone having a false belief that has no negative effects or consequences?
Click to expand...

Yes, there is a problem with someone holding a false belief:
All false beliefs have some negative consequences, sooner or later; this is why they are called false beliefs.
 
So, what's a true belief?
And true beliefs can't have negative consequences?
 
A true belief is one that (acting in accord with) does not have negative consequences.
 
Who decides which consequences are negative? And that decision would be subjectve any way.

Any way, since you can't possibly know whether your belief is true or not until the moment of consequences, the concept of "true belief" is useless.
 
Avatar said:
Who decides which consequences are negative? And that decision would be subjectve any way.
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Subjective only to some extent: Humans in general or individual human groups do share some values. E.g. There are millions of people who think that compassion is important, for example. In that sense, their evaluation is not solely subjective.


Any way, since you can't possibly know whether your belief is true or not until the moment of consequences, the concept of "true belief" is useless.
Click to expand...

Eventually, yes.

More feasible seems to be the concept of "helpful (or useful) belief", ie. a belief that has already proven to be helpful or useful, or for which we predict with great certainty that it will be helpful or useful.

Of course, such an utilitarian, pragmatic approach to notions of truth and belief is anathema to some traditional approaches to the topic.
 
Thanks, that's a concept I hadn't heard of before - helpful belief.
I like it!

Just to clarify, if someone gets really ill, then turns to religion, and that positive thinking about the concepts of that religion and its gods helps the person to recover and live in happiness, is then that belief in that new found religion true and is it helpful?
 
Avatar said:
So, what's a true belief?
And true beliefs can't have negative consequences?
Click to expand...

I think I see where you are getting at. A belief is a belief, it is there and thus not false. A false belief is like an illusionary belief.

Then perhaps when the belief is too narrow, one cannot see an alternative way around a bad situation, and following their narrow range of options, they are lead into suffering. For example: one who believes that jumping off a bridge is fun and is unable to see that there are other things that are much more fun.

...?

Jozen-Bo
 
gurglingmonkey said:
Is there a problem with someone having a false belief that has no negative effects or consequences?
Click to expand...

Nope - ubt it never stops there...

DING DING - Hi here's our waste of money watchtower pamphlet, come on become a lemming with us...

That's where is becomes a powerplay and thus a target of ridicule. Fight fire with fire.

Religion - powerplay.
 
Avatar said:
Thanks, that's a concept I hadn't heard of before - helpful belief.
I like it!

Just to clarify, if someone gets really ill, then turns to religion, and that positive thinking about the concepts of that religion and its gods helps the person to recover and live in happiness, is then that belief in that new found religion true and is it helpful?
Click to expand...

We must bear in mind that the notion of usefulness applies only within a particular context (ie. the person's, goals, values, physical, mental, financial, social state and everything else that might be relevant to the situation at hand).

For example, the philosophy of the 12 Steps has shown to be very useful for many addicts once they start on the route to recovery. But as they get better, put their life in order, that same 12 Steps philosophy can become a burden, a hindrance. After recovering, many people leave it behind.
 
If you believe that your current belief is false yet you still follow that belief than you are not truthfull to yourself and thus having a false belief in essence.

Understand that your belief is above all, what you believe holds truth for you, there is no ultimate truth, there is you and how strong you have faith in your belief.
 
sowhatifit'sdark said:
If there are no negative consequences how could that person have a problem. Or how could there be a problem
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False beliefs often tend to act as filter preventing / reducing comprehension on related topics. That of course could lead to missed opportunities (tangible, cognitive, etc.).
 
gurglingmonkey said:
Is there a problem with someone having a false belief that has no negative effects or consequences?
Click to expand...

In response to CrunchyCat I realized a problem with this OP.

Problems have or create negative effects or consequences. If you do not have these you don't have a problem. The topic could be anything, beliefs, medical conditions...etc.

If you have a disease with no negative effects or consequences.......

There is something odd about that sentence and there is also something odd about your first post.
 
Crunchy Cat said:
False beliefs often tend to act as filter preventing / reducing comprehension on related topics. That of course could lead to missed opportunities (tangible, cognitive, etc.).
Click to expand...
These would be negative consequences, yes. So, given the conditions in the OP, these could not happen.
 
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