Openmindedness - good thing or bad thing?: Philosophy Forums

Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Openmindedness - good thing or bad thing?

Minyun
Graduate

Usergroup: Members
Joined: May 14, 2009

Total Topics: 17
Total Posts: 247

Posted 07/07/09 - 09:28 AM:	#51
Proven. Unproven. Disproven. In terms of the man who could turn water into snow flakes etc. by sending different emotianal signals, to you ducctape, it should fall in the realm of the Unproven. Too many people automatically take this Unproven category and sort it into the Disproven or Proven, based on little tangible evidence. Once you have physically witnessed this man, stood next to him, while he practiced this so called technique, then can you justly say wether it should now fall into the Proven or Disproven categories, for you, and you alone. This is my opinion, chose to do what you wish.

Maxvilly
Graduate

Usergroup: Members
Joined: Apr 06, 2009

Total Topics: 17
Total Posts: 209

Posted 07/13/09 - 02:37 PM:	#52
Minyun wrote: I conclude by saying that if this truth does no harm to you, then you should accept it. This requires looking past your own desires, letting go of emotional tendencies to be right. Letting go of greed. Probably the best teachers I know of are the ones who are impartial and has no intentions to put their feelings on to others, rather teach what they know as being independent from their own knowledge and the subject. The majority of times it's better to run out of gas, and it's rather a strength than something weak to part off in opposite directions.
I had details here, ones.

pourquoi
Student

Usergroup: Members
Joined: Aug 03, 2009

Total Topics: 4
Total Posts: 73

Posted 08/06/09 - 01:28 PM:	#53
Some may say open-mindedness is accepting a wide range of views, taking all sides or no particular side in an argument. Others define it as accepting views other than one's own, but still keeping the initial opinion. So in the first sense, I believe it is bad to think that "everything's okay" because then life becomes chaotic, they say wrote: "don't be too open minded or your brains will fall out!" In the second sense of the word, I think one has to establish a golden mean - understand other perceptions but still be somewhat narrow minded and determined. (in other words, opinionated but not educated)
"Be the change you want to see in the world" - Gandhi

Doug Shaver
Aspirant

Usergroup: Members
Joined: Aug 02, 2009
Location: San Bernardino, Calif.

Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 23

Posted 08/21/09 - 12:59 PM:	#54
ducttape wrote: Because you are expecting him to not make any sense Should I expect otherwise if the first two pages of what I read are nonsense? If so, why? ducttape wrote: you might miss the grains of truth he might be hiding. Then he shouldn't hide them in a pile of nonsense.

Mike H
Graduate

Usergroup: Members
Joined: Jun 05, 2007

Total Topics: 6
Total Posts: 154

Posted 08/23/09 - 01:54 PM:	#55
I think open-mindedness towards an idea is not just a willingness to consider the possibility that it is true (though it is certainly that), but also a willingness to understand it. The more willing you are to completely understand an idea, the more open-minded you are towards it. But it is not necessarily always good to be open-minded towards all ideas. We have limited time and resources. With garbage that is completely unsubstantiated and contradictory of commonly accepted knowledge, in general it is good to be close-minded. Or at least only open-minded to the extent that you consider the possibility. Although it might be good to be open-minded towards it if the garbage is itself commonly accepted - its valuable to understand bad ideas that are popular, so that you're better able to dispel them. Also trying to understand them may give you insights into human psychology. We really need to reevaluate the idea that open-mindedness is always good and closed-mindedness is always bad. Without knowing what idea someone is closed- or open-minded to, it is impossible to determine whether their attitude is justified or not. That said though I think that the closed-mindedness that won't even consider the possibility of something being true is nearly always bad. If nothing else, considering a false idea will expand your imaginative powers. And imagination is necessary to get to the truth.

Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Sorry, you don't have permission to post. Log in, or register if you haven't yet.