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"keep an open mind"...what does that really mean?
- Thread starter waitasec
- Start date
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
Being open-minded is fundamental to skepticism.
Of course, when people tell other people to be open-minded, it's actually generally a passive-aggressive attempt to tell them that what they think is wrong. True open-mindedness is essentially being consistently honest and aware.
Of course, when people tell other people to be open-minded, it's actually generally a passive-aggressive attempt to tell them that what they think is wrong. True open-mindedness is essentially being consistently honest and aware.
waitasec
Veteran Member
cool...and you definitely come across as you do.
do you think a person who admits they doubt can be open minded about what they doubt, as in the case of ross and carrie and the LDS experience?
krsnaraja
Active Member
Not only the soul can do two things at the same time but it can also do what machines can`t do-reading a good book while having sex!
Open-mindedness =/= gullibility.
It means willing to... investigate various arguments (through debate/research/contemplation/etc.) as objectively as possible to come to the truth, while remaining wholly aware, and willing to accept the possibility, that one may be wrong.
It means willing to... investigate various arguments (through debate/research/contemplation/etc.) as objectively as possible to come to the truth, while remaining wholly aware, and willing to accept the possibility, that one may be wrong.
waitasec
Veteran Member
i agree with this 100%
i was reading another post and the "believer" was telling the "skeptic" about keeping an open mind and it occurred to me this seems to be double talk...
saying one thing but insinuating the opposite
Open Minded to me means that you will listen and evaluate objectively. We can try to be as objective as possible or think that we are being objective. But humans are not machines.
We have biases that shape our decision making process.
en . wikipedia . org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases
Here are a few that I know I have trouble with:
(There are a couple dozen listed on that wiki article)
Having an understanding of these biases is probably a first good step to being open minded
We have biases that shape our decision making process.
en . wikipedia . org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases
Here are a few that I know I have trouble with:
- Anchoring
- Confirmation
- Impact
- Escalation
(There are a couple dozen listed on that wiki article)
Having an understanding of these biases is probably a first good step to being open minded
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waitasec
Veteran Member
in order to change ones mind or accept the possibility of being wrong the mind has to be persuaded. and in order for the mind to be persuaded the skeptical questions have been satisfied
Breathe
Hostis humani generis
waitasec
Veteran Member
everyone has to have their own subjective POV because not everyone is the same, otherwise we would never have misunderstandings.
Walkntune
Well-Known Member
No. It is alway an opposition to any advancement especially in the sciences.Sometimes maybe a good accountability but thats it. The skeptics usually come riding in on the coat tail of those with intuitive minds and imagination like Einstein and Tesla and claim what great achievements science has made.They are the cattle in the scientific community who won't stand up and face the unknown until the path has been made for them and shown that it is safe.
Open mindedness sees possibilities and embraces them with imagination and becomes intuitively creative in achiving these dreams in the unknown like making machines fly and going to the moon etc....Those who had these dreams always had to fight the resistance of the skeptics.
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waitasec
Veteran Member
Thanks! I'm flattered.
in regards to ross and carrie, do you think they were being closed minded from the experience while admitting to their doubt?
Yep.
Good to know your own biases though that way you won't fool yourself for 40 years like I did.
To me, open minded means you actually listen and consider different points of views.
An open minded person tries to put themselves in other people's shoes and imagine what it is like to walk a mile in them.
People who think they know everything rarely do. A smart person realises that the more they learn, the less they actually know.
An open minded person tries to put themselves in other people's shoes and imagine what it is like to walk a mile in them.
People who think they know everything rarely do. A smart person realises that the more they learn, the less they actually know.
Breathe
Hostis humani generis
I think they were, yeah.
in regards to ross and carrie, do you think they were being closed minded from the experience while admitting to their doubt?
I think they were expecting something miraculous and supernatural. Their attitude seems to have been something like, "Oh look - let's see what these crazies think. God doesn't exist. Prove me wrong.", as if they expected God to descend on a cloud from the sky, wearing shades and a Hawaiian shirt and say "Hey Ross and Carrie, s'up? Do you believe in me now?"
Doesn't work like that, though, lol. Not everyone thinks God is an old man on a cloud.
waitasec
Veteran Member
i don't think that is what i am talking about, at least it wasn't my intention to insinuate that with the OP.
Walkntune
Well-Known Member
Well be open minded with the intentions.