Intellectual Passions

Beliefs are the Death of Intelligent Response

When evaluating whether surprising information is worthy of careful consideration, basic rational criteria are a sensible starting point : Is there potential for substantial benefit ? How difficult will it be to make use of ? How important are the benefits ? Fashionable criteria often quietly betray those who mistake them for an easy option, such as : Do I already agree with it ? Will it be cheap and easy ? Will my associates think me silly ? The consequences that derive from our choice of values, and our determination to find out how best to manage our opportunities, are the bottom line in our personal life. Consequences are what we end up with, and sadly the attributes of our bottom line are rarely amenable to regret. In the pursuit of truth, it matters not how the information comes to our attention. To disdain a valid observation published by a controversial source is mere cynicism, the cheapest possible excuse for mental laziness. And you can be sure that a plagiarist must have got their information somewhere. So what truly matters is whether it works. Whether it makes sense, within either theory or practice (preferably both. This straightforward empirical strategy of evaluation is the only valid system for sorting truth from the stupendous clutter of mis-information about ourselves. It was for good reason that the nearest approximation to God in the traditional Lakota language is Wakan Tanka, which accurately translates into English as Great Mystery. The pre-Columbian native americans had a tremendous philosophical advantage that was lost with the subsequent domination by prescriptive religion and comforting promises of absolution. Holding a belief is the death of intelligence on that subject. Observing our living relationship with Great Mystery frees us to explore any unexpected possibility. By contrast, monotheisms invariably demand belief, while censoring facts and perspectives by threat of punishment. Which would you prefer t

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