One thing I feel compelled to comment on is the one belief that I hold true. There is no unequivocal evidence of it’s truth, but neither is there evidence that it is false.
Basically, I believe that all human beings contain the same cognitive reasoning ability. We have either been given or somehow developed a set of rules which govern how we interpret knowledge which we perceive. One reason for our vast and varied uniqueness is that, while we all have these rules, our brains perceive, process, and store things in different ways. And we all have different experiences, of course.
If these differences didn’t exist, we’d certainly have a very boring planet in which to live. But if they were circumvented, for example if all knowledge, perspectives, experiences, etc. were ubiquitous and collectively stored in all of our brains, there would no longer be arguments. We would no longer be able to justify our anger at someone else by writing them off as “stupid” because we would be able to understand where they are coming from, and they us.
This is being too idealistic, though. I mean, to have a system that syncs all of our brains instantly? Not only does this leave open frightening possibilities for mind control, but it’s also unnecessary. All we have to do is recognize the same thing I pointed out earlier: we all have the same cognitive reasoning ability. So, if there’s an argument between two people, you can be sure that there is an answer. The key to finding it is breaking things down into the basic details of the dispute and going at it one thing at a time until the faulty logic of the wrong side of the argument is found.
This isn’t easy. It takes far less work to say they’re just too stupid to understand and move on; just remember that this isn’t true. Then there are those of us who recognize the falsity of the previous statement and therefore want to understand others’ opinions and share with them our own, but, already knowing all the details, it’s very easy to unintentionally leave holes in an argument. Persistence, cooperation, and desire for knowledge on both sides is key.
Lastly, the desire for knowledge must supersede our pride and desire to be right. We have to be able to admit we were wrong if we are indeed proven as such. I understand that this can be horribly difficult for some people to do (hell, I’ve experienced it!), but unless you are willing to do so, the above method won’t give you as much satisfaction. The whole point to this exercise is for more knowledge and shouldn’t be used only to prove someone wrong.
If nothing else, just remember this: if you run across someone who has a differing opinion on something than you do, don’t just say “aww, they’re just idiots.” Accept the fact that they are reasoning humans just like you, and have just experienced different things that may have nudged their opinion in a different direction.
