Belief/Knowledge
What is belief/knowledge?
A belief is an acceptance in which a person holds a proposition or premise to be true. Beliefs can be based on personal experiences, cultural influences, or emotional conviction, and they do not necessarily require empirical evidence or logical justification.
For example, you might believe that your friend will keep a secret because you trust them based on your past experiences and the nature of your relationship.
Knowledge is typically defined in contemporary philosophy as justified true belief. It's not just believing something to be true; it's having reasons or evidence that justify that belief. For a belief to count as knowledge, it must be true and you must have justification for it.
For instance, you know that water boils at 100°C (at standard atmospheric pressure) because it has been scientifically proven and you have likely experienced it yourself.
How to apply it in everyday life
Let's explore how this distinction can be applied to various aspects of daily life:
Key considerations and takeaways
Here are some guidelines on how to use these distinctions effectively:
Avoid asserting beliefs with the same certainty as knowledge, especially if such beliefs are not supported by evidence or proper justification.
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