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chuck.drake
That kind of phrase--It's ok to have an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out--seems to me to be basically meaningless with a tinge of condescension.
That kind of phrase--It's ok to have an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out--seems to me to be basically meaningless with a tinge of condescension.
There is a spectrum of credulity / open mindedness
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chuck.drake
So for you the two terms are equivalent? Credulousness equals open-mindedness.
Not quite equivalent but closely related.
Condescending I would agree, but that does not make it meaningless.
gabriel
New
Why do you think brights are so condescending?
MysticG
New
It might be better to take it from a 1D scale to a 2D plot. On the horizontal axis, you could range from Closed-minded/dogmatic to open-minded. On the vertical axis, you can range from skeptical to credulous.
In this way, you end up with 4 boxes-
I would put myself and many other Skeptiko members in the "open-minded, skeptical" box.
The stereotypical gullible believer would be in the "open-minded, credulous" box.
The dogmatic Skeptic would go in the "closed-minded, skeptical" box.
And the religious fundamentalist would go in the "closed-minded, credulous" box.
Of course, everyone is different and would be at a different place on the plot.
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chuck.drake
Can you explain what it means?
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chuck.drake
Can you explain the relationship between credulity and open-mindedness?
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chuck.drake
It seems to me I could be utterly open-minded, in that I am undecided about everything. In that case I could believe nothing.
Steve: If you were to receive an imploring nigerian prince email requesting you send money to them would you?. Should you be so open minded to believe this person is honest?
Kamarling: Are you trying to insult us or do you just not realise when you are doing so?
Steve:It was merely used as an example. I wasn't intimating anyone here including you. And it seems you are the only one that took this personally. Oh by the way, I have in a past received a Nigerian email.
Steve: In general how open minded should one be? Specifically should all claims of the paranormal be viewed with the same plausibility?
Kamarling: No. I don't imagine anyone here does so. Do you? Really?
Steve: No I don't think every paranormal idea should carry the same weight of inquiry. Ok, which paranormal stuff is less plausible?
Kamarling: Are you trying to insult us or do you just not realise when you are doing so?
Steve:It was merely used as an example. I wasn't intimating anyone here including you. And it seems you are the only one that took this personally. Oh by the way, I have in a past received a Nigerian email.
Steve: In general how open minded should one be? Specifically should all claims of the paranormal be viewed with the same plausibility?
Kamarling: No. I don't imagine anyone here does so. Do you? Really?
Steve: No I don't think every paranormal idea should carry the same weight of inquiry. Ok, which paranormal stuff is less plausible?
I don't know. Have you asked a bright?
gabriel
New
You clearly consider yourself brighter than the rest of us, tell us how you first got into the certainty racket.
It means this. Don't think every idea is true.
Devane
New
Agreed. Its being meaningless makes it meaningless. Much like this post of mine.
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Only people like you consider me like that.
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chuck.drake
But being open-minded has no bearing on whether something is true or not.
Can you provide a clearer meaning?
gabriel
New
You've admitted to condescension, and I admire your honesty. I'm wondering what you think you're looking down upon exactly, is it different opinions or patent stupidity? I sense a continuing theme of victim status among skeptics that doesn't bare scrutiny. Proponents have more claim to such a position in a material hegemony, but are prepared to argue their corner, whereas skeptics resort to scorn as a first line of attack.
Kamarling
Member
You are the one equating credulity with open-mindedness. Most of us would claim to be open minded so what, in your terms, does that make us? All of us have probably had one of those scam emails. I can't see what point you are trying to make other than implying that your brand of skepticism protects you from obvious scams while we - the open-minded - are likely to fall for them.
Perhaps I didn't word is clearly enough: I meant do you imagine anyone here thinks that all paranormal claims be viewed with the same plausibility? I repeat, do you really think we swallow every story we read, believe every ghost story we hear or every horoscope we read? Again, you insult us. Your points don't really deserve a response and I've already given more than enough time to them.
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Sciborg_S_Patel
A (possibly desperate?) need to affirm intellectual superiority based on disbelief, without effort or credentials? Which in itself is weird since our beliefs in their paradigm are due to the Big Bang and some quantum randomness...
I say more about the strategy of shaming tactics in the Sheldrake thread here. Probably better not to derail Bucky's thread and discuss that in this thread where it's more relevant.