stlstrike3 wrote:What the hell is "valuable" about faith? When it comes to any other area of our life, faith (i.e. believing without evidence) makes you a laughingstock.
It's a strong commitment mechanism. Strong commitment mechanisms can have value, though they don't always do, and their have side effects can be severe.
stlstrike3 wrote:What if your doctor told you, "It has been privately revealed to me that crushed daisies will cure your cancer." Or better yet, "It is my strong conviction that replacing your insulin with battery acid will improve your blood sugars."
On the other hand, what if you're a soldier in the middle of a war, and your commander told you the following? "I'm thinking about the question whether I should attack the enemy this afternoon. A preliminary study of the literature was inconclusive: On the one hand, Churchill (1951) and Clausewitz (1810) argue in favor of it. But also see Alexander (325 B.C) and Zun Tsu (1000 B.C), both of whom argue against it. Summing up, this fascinating problem clearly deserves further research." Is that any better?
