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06-08-2007, 09:41 PM
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 Why is it so hard to say, “I don’t Know.” …??? Why is it so hard to say, “I don’t Know.” …??? Most people would rather believe in something that is absolutely unfounded rather than maintaining the option that, “they don’t know.” Seems that incertitude is harder to live with than being gullible… Subjects like… God, afterlife, aliens and other civilization, psychic properties, cures for certain diseases etc… what is wrong with admitting that… “we don’t know”…??? Seems to me to be much wiser unfounded certitude… .      |
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06-08-2007, 10:15 PM
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| I personally would rather say 'I don't know' than risk making a fool of myself for pretending to know. Edit: Though I have certainly done the latter plenty of times. 
__________________ I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies. This is the dawning of the rest of our lives. --Green Day The more I see, the less I know, the more I'd like to let it go. --Red Hot Chili Peppers Last edited by {aspiring_to_clarity} : 06-08-2007 at 10:23 PM. |
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06-08-2007, 10:35 PM
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| Shamou, you're reading my mind. One of the articles in my hopper of "things to write about" is my take on this. Everyone has an opinion about everything -- no knowledge required. And even worse, some people will flat out lie instead of saying, "I don't know." I have found this to be especially true in the world of retail sales, a source of much misinformation. We all do this from time to time, I suppose. But limiting this behavior is a virtue, in my humble opinion.
__________________ 11 Causes of Procrastination and Their Cures Resolve Arguments like a Pro with 7 Proven Techniques Are You an American Zombie? How I OverCame a Crippling Anxiety Disorder |
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06-08-2007, 10:43 PM
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Subjects like God, afterlife etc. are unprovable but many people have gone through, near-death and paranormal type experiences but they can't prove anything. On an intuitive level I 'know' that there is a Supreme Being. There is no doubt in my mind. Can I prove it? Absolutely not. Nor do I intend on trying because it's futile. It's enough for me to know it.
__________________ www.essentiallifeskills.net |
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06-08-2007, 10:46 PM
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 Even now it excites me when I find something that challenges my understanding, or that I simply know nothing about. I think learning to make peace with the state of "not knowing" is one of the keys to beginning to know something really worthwhile. Rather than retreating into the known one can venture out into the realm of possibility, of new worlds and growth. |
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06-09-2007, 12:00 AM
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You make an excellent point, ZHereford. My greatest frustration is not with people who claim to know that God exists (since such knowledge is a matter of faith), but rather people who claim to know things that they don't even believe they know -- in other words, liars. Some people make stuff up simply because they cannot bear to admit they don't know.
__________________ 11 Causes of Procrastination and Their Cures Resolve Arguments like a Pro with 7 Proven Techniques Are You an American Zombie? How I OverCame a Crippling Anxiety Disorder Last edited by JohnPlace : 06-09-2007 at 12:04 AM. |
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06-09-2007, 12:02 AM
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Since I really did laugh out loud. Unfortunately, posts around here have a minimum character requirement, so this is the unabridged version of LOL. P.S. I'm wearing a tinfoil hat.
__________________ 11 Causes of Procrastination and Their Cures Resolve Arguments like a Pro with 7 Proven Techniques Are You an American Zombie? How I OverCame a Crippling Anxiety Disorder |
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06-09-2007, 12:14 AM
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"About this Einstein had said, “Evolution has shown that at any given moment out of all conceivable constructions a single one has always proved itself absolutely superior to the rest,” and let it go at that. But to Phaedrus that was an incredibly weak answer. The phrase “any given moment” really shook him. Did Einstein really mean to state that truth was a function of time? To state that would annihilate the most basic presumption of all science! But there it was, the whole history of science, a clear story of continuously new and changing explanations of old facts. The time spans of permanence seemed completely random, he could see no order in them. Some scientific truths seemed to last for centuries, others for les than a year. Scientific truth was not dogma, good for eternity, but a temporal quantitative entity that could be studied like anything else." . |
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06-09-2007, 12:27 AM
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06-09-2007, 12:43 AM
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| People feel they won't be respected if they admit to not knowing. I beleive there is a growing trend in the other direction, I think people at large are growing tired of knobs who give advice based on guesses and assumptions. I am hearing the phrase more and more "at least s/he admits when they don't know" could just be a hopeful, biased, observation. I hope not. |
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06-09-2007, 12:48 AM
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06-09-2007, 03:21 AM
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| The problem is that you are at a bad position when you argue with someone. When you are on the I-don't-know-position you can't claim, you are wrong and you are at the same time attackable by the I-do-know-person. Therefore over time the I-do-know-persons win. Then their comes Pirsig with: I-do-know-that-I-don't-know. It may be as old as Socrates but it is nowhere to be found in modern or postmodern thinking. The idea of not "admiting" that one doesn't know but using it as a viable position is new. When you "admit" that you don't know, you say in effect: I know that my position is bad but it is the only one I have. The beauty of Pirsig's argument is that you become a I-do-know-person by being a I-do-know-that-I-don't-know-person. You don't have to admit anymore that you have a I-don't-know weekness. We still have to go a long way till it gets culturly accept to know that ones doens't know. @Shamou: You seem to like "The Art of Motorcycle Maintaince", have you read "Lila"?
__________________ I am always open for feedback on my posts. That might focused on the argument at hand or on my writing style. If your feedback would go offtopic feel free to send me a Personal Message. I don't believe in Beliefs. |
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06-09-2007, 03:40 AM
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Did you like Lila...??? . |
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06-09-2007, 04:40 AM
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| I think that fear is the reason people find it hard to say I don't know. Particularly in a western culture. Because I have a degree Indigenious Studies, it opened my mind to the beliefs of other Cultures, and to the formation of cultures, including ours. I might seem to harp on about it, but our western world view is not held, or valued, by many other cultures, who have an entirely different world view. This is as difficult for us to imagine, as it is for the other cultures to imagine our world view. As I have also separately, formally studied behaviour, I understand that our world view is unconsciously shaped by our culturally ingrained, educated beliefs... like thinking through coloured lense filters if you like. But a lot of people who take the time to think about changing themselves (their attitude and beliefs) also understand this. Our Darwinist world view accepts competition, survival of the fittest, and domination as natural, and desirable, and many can't even begin to see that some cultures don't see or think anything like that. Thus in our world view, competing and winning is everything, losing is disastrous. We unconsciously and consciously learn this from day one, and it is constantly, extensively reinforced through the education system, and peer group pressure. Not knowing is the equivalent of failure. Not knowing means no marks, failure, perhaps ridicule or punishment... bottom line, you lose. So for someone to say 'I dont know' in our culture, can be very difficult, as it is the equivalent of losing. Losing unconsciously means becoming 'extinct'. |
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06-09-2007, 06:16 AM
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But if the I-do-know person is faking knowledge he doesn't have, he will be revealed. One of the tricks they teach in debate class is putting the ball in the other guy's court. You don't have to understand a topic to be good at debunking false claims of expertise -- you just have to understand what makes the topic complicated. P.S. This is a cool topic.
__________________ 11 Causes of Procrastination and Their Cures Resolve Arguments like a Pro with 7 Proven Techniques Are You an American Zombie? How I OverCame a Crippling Anxiety Disorder Last edited by JohnPlace : 06-09-2007 at 06:28 AM. |
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06-09-2007, 06:19 AM
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 Sorry Shamou, I can't resist, and vividly remember extreme amusement regarding your following quotes in answer to 'entity harrasment' in the 'Psychic & Paranormal' forum:'That seems like schizophrenia to me... if I were you I would seek professional help... no offense intended...' Quote: Originally Posted by oryanrando Is that your "expert" opinion? 'I am a qualified Chiropractic Physician and it is an expert opinion... however, very sorry if it has offended you...' Psychic-Psychiatry-Chiropractry...you'll make another fortune!  |