Religion

marylandblue

(12,344 posts) Mon May 7, 2018, 09:04 PM May 2018

What is a belief system? [View all]

The term gets used here a lot, but I honestly don't know what it means. I've never used it prior to participating in the Religion Group here at DU. Some hypotheses I have about what it might mean are:
- a specific belief
- a random belief
- a group of related beliefs
- a group of unrelated beliefs
- a world view
- an ethical view
- a religious faith

There are probably other possibilities. All of them seem to fit some contexts but not others. Sometimes it seems assumed that everybody has one. Other times it seems more like it's recommended we should have one, and if we don't bad things might happen. Can anyone enlighten me?

101 replies

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What is a belief system? [View all] marylandblue May 2018 OP

It is often used, especially in this forum, guillaumeb May 2018 #1

Can you define belief system without using the words belief or system in the definition marylandblue May 2018 #5

Here. Eko May 2018 #7

That's pretty good, but what if I don't have a religion, philosophy or moral code marylandblue May 2018 #9

Hopefully you have a moral code. Eko May 2018 #10

I don't have a code, I have moral intuitions marylandblue May 2018 #11

So you have Eko May 2018 #12

Yes, but they aren't codified, so aren't really beliefs marylandblue May 2018 #14

I dont see how that differs from a moral code at all. Eko May 2018 #16

I don't think it's wrong to kill or go to war marylandblue May 2018 #18

Well there is your moral code. Eko May 2018 #22

Like I said, that's an intuition, not a code. marylandblue May 2018 #25

Whatever you say. Eko May 2018 #30

Informal versus formal. guillaumeb May 2018 #71

I don't know, right now I think MM in #59 is right marylandblue May 2018 #73

But if you have beliefs, guillaumeb May 2018 #80

Yes, but the whole thing is such a broad conception so as to be worthless marylandblue May 2018 #84

It is not worthless because it governs your behavior. guillaumeb May 2018 #85

Worthless as a concept related to religion discussions, not worthless in general marylandblue May 2018 #88

I liked your analogy of using the same language. guillaumeb May 2018 #89

Here is another. Eko May 2018 #8

Thanks, interesting article marylandblue May 2018 #13

No, Eko May 2018 #15

I read the paper, why isn't science a belief system? marylandblue May 2018 #17

Sigh. Eko May 2018 #20

I don't see anywhere where it excludes it marylandblue May 2018 #24

Right off the bat it does, I even put it in bold. Eko May 2018 #26

That definition still doesn't exclude science marylandblue May 2018 #32

Uh, yes it does. Eko May 2018 #34

That is true among people who accept science marylandblue May 2018 #37

They dont interpret it differently, Eko May 2018 #39

We are defining science differently marylandblue May 2018 #41

Talking with you is going nowhere. Eko May 2018 #42

I didn't say their beliefs were just as valid marylandblue May 2018 #43

And that science is a belief. Eko May 2018 #45

Like I said, we are defining science differently marylandblue May 2018 #47

So, what is science? Eko May 2018 #50

I gave you my definition of science in #41 marylandblue May 2018 #54

And I didnt say you said they were just as valid. Eko May 2018 #46

I am not giving credence to anything marylandblue May 2018 #48

Wrong beliefs? Eko May 2018 #49

"Belief" and "opinion" are not always synonymous. marylandblue May 2018 #53

Science and religion are in two totally different realms of thought. Tobin S. May 2018 #56

But not really. trotsky May 2018 #60

Creation stories aren't meant to be taken literally. Tobin S. May 2018 #62

"Creation stories aren't meant to be taken literally." trotsky May 2018 #64

I can just report to you what happened. Tobin S. May 2018 #91

Actually, there is a way. trotsky May 2018 #94

Oh, they weren't? Act_of_Reparation May 2018 #66

Trotsky just said 42% of Americans are creationists Tobin S. May 2018 #92

I don't see that as particularly damaging to my argument. Act_of_Reparation May 2018 #93

I dont believe the earth is round. Eko May 2018 #68

See the definition of belief marylandblue May 2018 #72

Here is the oxford. Eko May 2018 #74

"something one accepts as true" marylandblue May 2018 #76

I think you missed the rest of that. Eko May 2018 #77

Cambridge. Eko May 2018 #75

I'm not sure why you are just multiplying dictionary definition marylandblue May 2018 #79

I must have posted the wrong one. Eko May 2018 #81

You know what are some other synonyms for belief are? Eko May 2018 #83

Neil deGrasse Tyson Eko May 2018 #78

And it is easily provable. Eko May 2018 #70

In the simplest sense it's a mental construct that defines the world around you. Major Nikon May 2018 #23

What is the difference between a mental construct that defines the world marylandblue May 2018 #27

One is a house, the other is a hammer Major Nikon May 2018 #31

That analogy doesn't explain anything marylandblue May 2018 #38

A belief system is also tool Major Nikon May 2018 #44

False metaphor Buzz cook May 2018 #52

Religion is totally a belief system. Eko May 2018 #28

Individual religions typically include a belief system Major Nikon May 2018 #33

definition. Eko May 2018 #36

Religion is far more encompassing Major Nikon May 2018 #40

It is a term used here repeatedly in equivocation Voltaire2 May 2018 #2

Much straw evident here. guillaumeb May 2018 #3

So are you now conceding that atheism isn't a belief system? Major Nikon May 2018 #29

Do you believe that its premise is true? guillaumeb May 2018 #69

I have a dodge, not an answer. So let's not pretend otherwise. Major Nikon May 2018 #86

Your title explains it all. guillaumeb May 2018 #87

And here I thought your dictionary skills had granted you literacy Major Nikon May 2018 #90

See that's the most important point. trotsky May 2018 #61

There are many different types of belief systems, Eko May 2018 #4

I dunno. Sounds science-ey. Iggo May 2018 #6

I believe in science dhol82 May 2018 #19

philosophy, ethics, speculation and Middle Earth marylandblue May 2018 #21

Science encompasses them all. Except for middle earth.... dhol82 May 2018 #35

Some philosophers would argue philosophy encompasses science rather than the other way around Major Nikon May 2018 #51

What is a belief? Buzz cook May 2018 #55

"Belief" in a religious context means something different Major Nikon May 2018 #58

Still belief, just not for a very good reason. Buzz cook May 2018 #63

One of those things has a foundation in evidence and reason Major Nikon May 2018 #65

It's confusing because apologists have made it a keystone in some of their worst argumentation. Act_of_Reparation May 2018 #57

It means whatever a person thinks it means at the time. MineralMan May 2018 #59

That's probably the most accurate definition here. marylandblue May 2018 #67

My apologies. guillaumeb May 2018 #82

Thanks, but I don't like how this discussion went marylandblue May 2018 #95

How would you do so? guillaumeb May 2018 #96

I thought I'd get a better idea of what makes something a true belief system marylandblue May 2018 #97

And if we ask 100 people why they call themselves a Democrat, guillaumeb May 2018 #98

Actually that question was asked a few months ago in General Discussion marylandblue May 2018 #99

If it allows you to make sense of the world, call it what you wish. guillaumeb May 2018 #100

My assertion isn't just about a name marylandblue May 2018 #101