"'Amen, Sire...'"
-SM Stirling, Prince Of Outcasts (New York, 1917), Chapter Twenty-One, p. 438.
However, both of them know that they have been brought up Catholic only because that mad bastard, Norman Aminger, imposed Catholicism on his post-Change feudal realm because he wanted to play the role of a medieval baron complete with serfs, torture chamber and tame archbishop. When you are asked why you believe x (any proposition), do you reply:
(i) I think that x is true because there is evidence to support it and it seems to mean that x is the most plausible explanation for the available evidence;
(ii) I have reasoned my way to the conclusion x and I can tell you my line of reasoning if you want to hear it;
(iii) I have been told from birth that I believe x and am surrounded by people who claim to believe x although the only reason why they make this claim is that they also have been told from birth that they believe x?
Surely to realize that (iii) is your only reason to believe x is simultaneously to cease to believe x? A Catholic and a Jewish child could have been switched at birth...
7 comments:
That's not really the way the human mind works, in most cases. The mind acts to preserve and protect the sense of identity, of self, and to maintain links with the social reference group.
Beliefs are part of the sense of self, and they maintain social links. Therefore the mind operates, very powerfully, to select and spin evidence to maintain them.
Mr Stirling,
Indeed. My first use of philosophical reasoning was to rationalize my received beliefs, to convince myself that (i) and (ii) were applicable, not just (iii).
Paul.
Kaor, Paul and Mr. Stirling!
And one thing I noticed about the Catholicism imposed by Norman Arminger in the PPA is how rapidly most of his subjects came to sincerely believe in it. I recall Stirling commenting in various parts of the Change books how that catastrophe shot dead belief in atheism or dogmatic materialism. Because AWARENESS of how SOMEONE, a malevolent and supernatural being, caused the Change made atheism and materialism unconvincing. So most survivors and their descendants came to take religion VERY seriously.
Sean
Kaor, Paul!
Again, I'm grateful for the efforts made to solve this baffling problem. I will consult AOL. Don't know if that will have to wait till I come back from FL, however. Maybe others have had this problem and know of ways to fix it? I hope so!
Merry Christmas! Sean
The human mind fools people, and first and foremost itself.
Mr Stirling,
I am reading about financial bubbles and becoming more aware of my own mental processes so I am currently seeing self-deception everywhere!
Paul.
Kaor, Paul and Mr. Stirling!
I agree! It is far too easy for any human being to believe in foolish and disastrous ideas. With all the baleful consequences that has caused mankind.
Happy New Year! Sean
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