Theories of Knowledge 5/28/02 Tues.

In class we covered chapter 16 and discussed whether or not we have choice over what we believe.We mainly went over direct choice: the idea that we can simply will ourselves to believe something with out that belief being based on something else.We considered how things like culture, upbringing, and personal experience effect our beliefs. To give examples of the effects of the previously mentioned factors of belief we thought of the different views on marriage and politics taken by people in various regions and cultures. Prof. Borrowdale then asked us if it right to choose based on desire?Ex:Suppose I think being a Republican will help my business.#1Can I will myself to believe in Republicanism?#2Would it be intellectually honest?#3Would it be ethical.Prof. B. highly doubted he could will himself to believe in something he didn't believe in, and if he could he didn't think it would be very honest or ethical.He did mention it would be easier to force a belief if a person had no beliefs at all, but even then beliefs are formed from opinions, thus negating direct control.We then went on to Poiman's arguments against volitionism(we can control our beliefs)1Phenomenological arg.-- our experience of forming beliefs is something happening to us not something we choose to do.2Logical arg against volitionism-- "I believe that P, but only cause I want P to be true," is contradictory. You have no grounds for holding your belief therefor your belief is unjustified and you might or might not be correct in your belief.That's about as far as we got.We're supposed to read chp 17 for thrus.
Joel Hammond