In response to Gina Kim’s 1st question:
- In the beginning of chapter 6, entitled, “The Psychology of Persuasion,” Woodward and Denton discuss three hypothetical constructs that serve as cognitive elements of persuasion: beliefs, attitudes, and values. A “belief” is defined as something we personally know to be true or false, “our convictions – even if others disagree” (page 133). However, the authors later mention that our ranking of beliefs change over time, giving the example of one’s view on abortion possibly changing after encountering a rape victim or becoming a parent. Do you think that knowledge gives us reason to believe? Or perhaps that personal experience or encounter cause one to believe? When talking about beliefs, I automatically think of words like, “religion,” “faith,” and “God.” Does more knowledge necessarily cause one to believe more or less in something? Or does it go beyond facts and figures, and perhaps “blind faith,” as some religious people may label it, to fully have belief in something?
I do think that knowledge in something is the reason that we can believe in that thing. In furthering our knowledge we deepen our beliefs in something, and because we know more we are able to base those convictions on more substance. I think a good example of this in my case is my political views. When I was younger I held the same beliefs as my parents because I was too young to have the knowledge to make my own views. As I have grown up I have gained knowledge in order to make the decision about who best represents my own beliefs. Over the years as I’ve come to the age of voting some of my views have changed, but it has been through my own curiosity that I did more research and gained further insight into what was being told to me. So that knowledge I gained through investigating has lead to the changing and strengthening of many of my beliefs.
I also have a friend who has experienced rape, and I think that her situation has definitely changed my beliefs about multiple things. It’s completely situational and different for every person, because people have beliefs for some reason; something motivates them to think a certain way. What we think of as being true could be different for two people, but a single encounter could change both of our beliefs.
In Gina’s second set of questions concerning beliefs in religion, faith, and God, I believe that this is a different type of belief. I believe both are true, that knowledge helps deepen our religious beliefs, along with a sense of “blind faith” that deepens our beliefs. I consider myself a religious person, and through my years of studying the Bible, attending Bible study, and church my beliefs in God have very much deepened and grown richer. This does take some of my own belief, I have my own beliefs of how God is present in my life everyday and how he has worked in my life, but I cannot exactly convince someone else about that belief just through my experience. So for me it is not “blind faith,” but to others it may seem like that.
Overall anything someone holds to be true can be a belief, but a stronger belief/conviction is formed when more knowledge is gained into that subject.
I agree with both Gina and Arianne that knowledge is a reason to believe in something. I know that without knowledge how can we believe in anything? At the same time I think knowledge also comes with personal experience. I know for me personally most of my knowledge and beliefs come from personal experience. When your younger you believe in things that don't really exists. I used to believe in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus when I was younger and of course the only reason why I believed this because of my parents. When your young you believe anything. Of course has you grow up, you create your own beliefs and opinions. Now that I have grown up I definitely realized the I have many different views then my parents do because by growing comes knowledge. Most of my beliefs are information that I have researched and feel strongly about and most of that knowledge is usually found here at school. You learn something new every day whether you want to believe it or not it's knowledge. The biggest part to that would be finding the answers to your questions. Therefore, through life experience and days at the classroom, knowledge has shaped what I believe in.
ReplyDeleteI know that knowledge and beliefs change over time. They change over time because they need to. If one person was stuck on one issue of knowledge and didn't learn or know anything else. It would be unfortunate for them. I know my brother became a parent at a reasonable age, but I was till young. He was in his 23's having a child and I was in 13 realizing that I am going to be an Aunt. My brother was excited for the baby and had expected that everything would be easy. His belief and knowledge changed after his baby was born. To see him struggle to make ends meet just for his baby and him was hard. My views in being a parent opened my eyes. Sometimes I would have days when I'd say I hate my parents, but the one thing my brother told me is that I will never understand until I become one. Ever since then it has opened my eyes to have more respect and consideration for my parents. That knowledge is something that is experienced and I still believe it to this day.
On the second question.
I think knowledge does cause one to believe more or less then something. If you don't have much knowledge with a subject your belief of that something won't be as strong. It would be less rather then more. I think that the will to know is great, but the will to believe in something like religion is even greater. When thinking of beliefs religion, faith, and the bible went through my head. With this personal experience:
I was born and raised Catholic and that was all the religion I knew until I came here to the United States and learned that there are many different kinds of religion. Even though I am still a Catholic I haven't changed my religion, but the knowledge of having religions make me to believe the idea of studying different ones. I don't have knowledge on Buddhism and Judaism, but i would be willing to learn. Even though I was born and raised Catholic I agree with many of the Catholic teachings, but it doesn't mean I can't form my own beliefs and disagreements about there teachings. Before I used to be determined to make people be catholic even though they are still confused with their religion. I realized that I couldn't convince them to become Catholic because they haven't found the knowledge and the belief of Catholicism. The blind faith of knowledge is not like that. I think it can be perceived that way to others.
I believe that knowledge is a strong belief that everyone acquires. It is a self conviction to believe in any material that can be given the name "knowledge".