What is a justified true belief?

If you take the time to read my whole blog, please start at the bottom of the page, at my first posting, and then work your way upwards to my most resent posting. Thanks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistemology

Plato

In Plato's dialogue Theaetetus, Socrates considers a number of theories as to what knowledge is, the last being that knowledge is true belief that has been "given an account of"—meaning explained or defined in some way. According to the theory that knowledge is justified true belief, in order to know that a given proposition is true, one must not only believe the relevant true proposition, but one must also have a good reason for doing so. One implication of this would be that no one would gain knowledge just by believing something that happened to be true. For example, an ill person with no medical training, but a generally optimistic attitude, might believe that they will recover from their illness quickly. Nevertheless, even if this belief turned out to be true, the patient would not have known that they would get well since their belief lacked justification. The definition of knowledge as justified true belief was widely accepted until the 1960s. At this time, a paper written by the American philosopher Edmund Gettier provoked widespread discussion. See theories of justification for other views on the idea.


http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-propaganda.html

In his Rhetoric, Aristotle acknowledges that it would be better if we could make our case without either browbeating or flattering the audience; nothing should matter except "the bare facts." Yet he laments, "other things affect the result considerably, owing to the defects of our hearers."

— Stanley Fish, in his blog "Think Again" in the New York Times, 2008.11.09


http://www.online-literature.com/


Lewis Carroll - Through the Looking-Glass (1871)

Alice laughed. 'There's no use trying,' she said: 'one CAN'T believe impossible things.'

'I daresay you haven't had much practice,' said the Queen. 'When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.'


Billy’s Paradox

You cannot believe in the unbelievable; you cannot know about the unknowable; you can of course believe in the unknowable but you cannot justify that belief. Therefore the truth in the matter is not paramount because it’s the belief that guides all our understanding.


Billy’s Theory

If any man will attempt to justify God, he should clear away some of his personal beliefs in order to see more truth. Once this is done, he will realize that man cannot justify God, rather it’s God who must justify mankind.

Idioms for 9/11

Who reads this stuff?

We keep tabs on things, make mountains out of molehills, jump the gun, and then can’t make heads or tails out of it.

Was 9/11 a terrorist attack or a government conspiracy to justify an endless war in the Middle-East? Either way; why would anyone want to do that? Cui bono?

It has been years since 9/11 and some people still don't understand what is going on. All anyone has to do is read the Bible and apply it to the best of their understanding. If some things seem too difficult to understand then ask someone to explain it to you then later you can just repeat what they said and appear to have some great understanding. Once you get adept at this join a Church of people who are like minded and maybe even become a leader. If you have a gift for it you can take any vague Bible passage and spin a solid explanation to any current event.

Revelation 13:13 (King James Version) And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.

JFYI if you read my last blog post on truth you will know that I’m being hypocritical in this 911 post. Those who actually know me will understand that I’m without any knowledge on the matter and these are only words; words; words!

What is Truth?

What is the truth about, the News Media, Danish Cartoons, Muslim Extremists, UFOs, Bigfoot, Monsters, Bermuda Triangle, Life on Mars, Religion, Politics and PhD Welfare?

Please take the time to read and study http://www.biblelife.org/ufo.htm it is an entertaining web page about modern media myths. Does the media really stir up our emotions, can they direct our thoughts toward or away from important issues (eg. Chandra Levy)?

When an individual gets emotionally stirred up, all logical thought is suspended until the emotion has passed. Any group of these people can become the puppets of their leaders and commit ridiculous and sometimes brutal acts. We have seen this throughout history. No social group, nation, religion or race is immune to this. It is a human characteristic, call it every man’s Achilles’ heel. We simply become blinded by our emotions.

I wonder how many of the Danish cartoon protesters actually looked at the cartoons. Naturally if they did, they would not see them as I see them. So I cannot understand their feelings anymore then they can understand mine. Logic has nothing to do with it because the truth of the matter is a product of our perception.

It is far easier to go with the flow then to stop and think things through by ourselves. Anyone; myself included, can select facts and events to justify their position to others who are ‘like-minded.’ Political and religious leaders, even educators can skillfully spin anything to justify the ‘right’ view and validate almost any means of action to a reach the desired end (eg. nuclear ballistic missiles are good for us).

Let us take a look at popular topic and look at the seemingly opposite views of each side of the issue. For example take Creation/Evolution, or Abortion/Death Penalty. Both sides have a long list of people with PhDs who offer their version of truth as facts but are unable to prove anything except to those who are ‘like-minded’ or quite possibly sitting on the fence. Their use of ‘undisputable’ truths is impressive but what actually qualifies as a fact or a truth? Is it a product of our perception? Is it simply man made? Do we believe in different truths? Where is the line between facts and belief? I don’t have any answers. I only have questions.

As a special note to all those PhDs; how did you get your PhD? From others with PhDs who are like-minded? Just do a few tricks and jump on the bandwagon. To all the logical engineering scientists who are steady with the tried and true methods; I say this: you are the same as the people you criticize just slightly more skeptical. So now I ask all you engineers where do myths fit into our reality? Of course they don’t; or do they?

Some myths never die. Some get transformed into science and become our new undisputable truths. The science of meteorology or the study of astronomical phenomenon is a point to consider. What is an astronomical phenomenon? What is a meteor? Chinese records go back 3,000 years about rocks that fall from the sky but it was not until the 1700’s that this myth was accepted and studied. It was 1833 before scientists figured out that meteors did not fall from the clouds like rain, rather they came from outside the atmosphere. If you were in Europe during the Renaissance Era of 1450-1600 and reported finding a rock that fell from the sky you would be considered crazy and if you persisted you could be subjected to a formal inquisition. If the same thing happened today you would take the rock to school and get your picture in the local newspaper.

As for PhD welfare, try looking at it this way; if we keep scientists employed and occupied doing anything, no matter how useless it may seem, they might actually stumble upon something of value. At least they will not become the pawns of your enemies.

As for God, carefully consider "Pascal's Wager."

So, the question remains, what is truth? Are you a ‘true’ believer? As for me, I’m too much of a skeptic to even deny the possibility of anything; so I guess that makes me an optimist, despite myself; and yes, I believe; but I don’t know why. Perhaps it’s because beliefs do not require reasons.

Politicians Prefer Unarmed Peasants

Politicians Prefer Unarmed Peasants read a bumper sticker that I saw back in 1988 around election time just before the father George Bush was elected President.

As a young man I did not pay much attention to politics. Later on December 17th 1992 NAFTA was signed and All the political leaders on both sides agreed that this was a wonderful thing.

In 2005 the son of the President George Bush brings us a lot of things, a war for oil, to changes in bankruptcy laws. How are these things linked?

It's getting to the point where an unemployed semi-skilled worker (the average Redneck like me) will no longer be able to afford a decent firearm.

What is this world coming to? I'm beginning to think that there is a conspiracy of wealthy men to keep themselves in power. But then again I could be mistaken.