I wasn’t aware of this quote at the time, but similar views were influential in my deconversion from Christianity. I decided that if I believed in God, that meant I needn’t be afraid to subject that belief to fair tests of evidence or argumentation. In hindsight, I’m very grateful this was my view, unlike so many others I was lucky enough to avoid getting stuck in a stagnated belief system.
I now try to randomly change my priors every now and then, to the extent that I am able. I figure that either they’ll repair themselves over time, or they weren’t worth having in the first place. This means that I am less likely to get trapped in models at local maxima or to become stuck within any cognitive finger traps. I highly recommend it to everyone, since in addition to its utility as a tool, it emotionally involves a quite enjoyable sense of freedom for me. I don’t have to be afraid of losing the truth, reality is consilient.
Nietzsche in Daybreak: Reflections on Moral Prejudice.
http://www.lexido.com/EBOOK_TEXTS/DAYBREAK_.aspx?S=156
I wasn’t aware of this quote at the time, but similar views were influential in my deconversion from Christianity. I decided that if I believed in God, that meant I needn’t be afraid to subject that belief to fair tests of evidence or argumentation. In hindsight, I’m very grateful this was my view, unlike so many others I was lucky enough to avoid getting stuck in a stagnated belief system.
I now try to randomly change my priors every now and then, to the extent that I am able. I figure that either they’ll repair themselves over time, or they weren’t worth having in the first place. This means that I am less likely to get trapped in models at local maxima or to become stuck within any cognitive finger traps. I highly recommend it to everyone, since in addition to its utility as a tool, it emotionally involves a quite enjoyable sense of freedom for me. I don’t have to be afraid of losing the truth, reality is consilient.