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Belief has no value. Reality does.

Discussion in 'Philosophy' started by Archiie, Aug 15, 2017.

  1. Archiie

    Archiie New Member

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    Realist exists regardless of belief.
     
  2. pinocchio

    pinocchio New Member

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    That's fair enough, but how exactly do you prove that "reality" is in actual fact "reality" and not a subjective interpretation of the world based on underlying beliefs?
    Or if you like, why can two scientists look at the same evidence and draw two completely different conclusions?
     
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  3. brettelizabeth1

    brettelizabeth1 New Member

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    The "value" of anything is manged by the individual or individuals who want or posses it. You may think that a 5 carat diamond is the most valuable thing in a jewelry store. But to someone else, if you put their love one in that same store, that diamond is no longer the most valuable thing in the store. The word "value" is a very subjective word.
    An individual may not have a grasp of any true reality, but they may still have their beliefs in religion, themselves, their things, their love ones, or even their values. One could also argue that without the belief of something, you cannot value it. How could you think that something holds any weight if it doesn't mean anything. And if it means anything, then it has value. Therefore you would need the belief in value to value reality.
    You could also take the stance that without a grasp of reality, you cannot have beliefs. Because of the need to have a grasp on reality in order to know what your beliefs are, you would need reality in order to build beliefs. So, the REALITY is that in order VALUE something, you need to BELIEVE in it.
     
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  4. AliCat

    AliCat New Member

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    Belief systems, concepts, and theories are all different for everyone. Reality is what we create or co-create independently. What we're focused on a long-term basis creates our reality. This psychologically affects our emotions, thoughts, and feelings. What kind of content we allow in our mind, forms the way we perceive reality based on what information we tend to pay attention too.
     
  5. lbenton2

    lbenton2 New Member

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    Someone’s reality may not be the same as someone else’s based on what they believe. Reality is in the eye of the beholder and if someone believes something that then becomes their reality.

    Take the belief in God for example. The people who believe in him, are so sure that there is a god up there, that their whole lives revolve around him. That is their reality.
     
  6. mosesoscar

    mosesoscar New Member

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    The above statement, from my point of view is self-defeating. Reality is believed too.

    If you distrust someone for instance, no matter how good the person may be in reality, your distrust will triumph over that reality.

    Reality is nothing without believe
     
  7. nick124

    nick124 New Member

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    I think my response is, pretty much, in line with the majority, but here it is. Belief is an important part of the way we interpret and perceive everything real or not. It doesn't matter to a person how the world truly is, if that state of being holds no effect on that person's perceptions. To be more clear, I can't value a reality that I don't believe. Even calling something real is a belief about the nature of reality and that it applies to that thing. Reality is, then, just the list of true things that we believe.

    One could argue that something could be real and exist, even if we don't believe it. I would respond with one or more of three ways. First, that it's impossible to prove the existence of a thing that isn't believed. Second, that the argument, itself, is the expression of belief in a variable to be applied to the thing. Finally, that claiming that a proven thing existed prior to our concept of it is, in fact, a belief about the nature of the thing, made in retrospect.
     
  8. NakaFlaka

    NakaFlaka New Member

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    Belief definitely has value. It has been the root of love and war. It can motivate a person to act in certain way. It influences humanity as a whole in that way.
     
  9. The Conversating

    The Conversating New Member

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    It's a good point and I agree to a certain degree, but realists don't count for everyone and a lot of people that, without their beliefs or religion, wouldn't be able to survive. Beliefs certainly have value, they give people hope, closure in the death of a loved one, a purpose in life. Beliefs dictate so much of our lives and weigh heavily on the decisions we make. The world wouldn't be any better if beliefs didn't exist, in fact maybe it would be worse. It would mean people wouldn't have such a high moral code, they wouldn't have a god to pray to when life got tough or someone to believe in when a loved one died. Beliefs do have value, and just because they don't mean anything to realists doesn't make them unnecessary or unimportant.
     
  10. jah_neece24

    jah_neece24 New Member

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    This is my opinion: I think some people allow reality to dictate their beliefs, and so, they lose their value. A higher thinker, on the other hand, use their beliefs to create reality. I believe beliefs enable man to realize how to transcend from this artificial, man-made world, to an elevated existence.
     

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