3 ms·

> Beliefs are value-neutral. Only arguments for or against beliefs can be political or not. I wonder why you didn't go a step further to postulate "only action

by tome 9y ago

> Beliefs are value-neutral. Only arguments for or against beliefs can be political or not. I wonder why you didn't go a step further to postulate "only actions can be political or not". Of course argument is action, but it could be claimed that only argument qua action is political.

jabot 9y ago
Then again, a lot of beliefs have direct, strong and immediate consequences on your actions. So if your action is political, and you did that action because of your belief, is your belief still apolitical?
- tome 9y ago
  There are a number of different lines of enquiry one might take on this subject (and I'm sure they have been taken by those in research in philosophy or politics). For example, is being able to restrain oneself from acting on one's deeply held beliefs necessary to function in civilised society? Isn't it even possible to have mutally contradictory beliefs, thus making acting on them impossible under certain circumstances?
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
cousin_it 9y ago
Because actions are downstream from beliefs, while arguments are upstream of beliefs. I prefer to fix bugs upstream.
- tome 9y ago
  > arguments are upstream of beliefs If only!
  - cousin_it 9y ago
    Aren't they? All beliefs have reasons. It's just that some of these reasons don't hold water and I'm trying to point out which.