by carlsojos » Wed Jan 26, 2011 10:37 pm
Indeed, my mind is closed, albeit in a strange and twisted way. It's just that many people take ethics, for instance, as self-evident, myself included. There are arguments that make it, and other topics, valid, but most people don't expend a large amount of processing time to prove it to themselves beyond any doubt, since they already believe in it (typically due to experience(s) at an early age), and there are always circumstances where some arguments are irrelevant or even counterintuitive. It's simply a question of what the subject mind's open to, and what it isn't open to, that defines the foundation of its beliefs. Too closed, and the mind won't dump false beliefs in favor of better positions, hence relatively negative thoughts such as unjustified stereotyping. Too open, and the foundation will be too unstable to maintain a strong position against outside pressures. I actually had a friend who would argue fervently for one thing, then change his mind and completely rebut his own statements for an opposing viewpoint before anybody could interject in High School debates.