Belief Formation & Education (Book Notes: Tilting at Religion)

Getting people to change their beliefs can be difficult, especially when those beliefs are related to subjects like religion or politics. Sometimes, people will refuse to even reconsider their beliefs or entertain the possibility that they might be mistaken - regardless of what sort of evidence they are faced with. Why is that?

In Tilting at Religion, Glenn W. Ferguson writes:

At a relatively early age, we accept or reject a point of view expressed by a parent, classmate, teacher, parson, or friend or incorporated in some form of communication. It is virtually impossible to document the time frame when the point of view or belief became our own, but once claimed, it is difficult to alter. ...When a belief is captured, experience that tends to refute that belief is ignored. Beliefs nurtured at an early age become impregnable barriers to education or even discussion.

It certainly seems to be the case that what we learn as children can stick with us throughout our lives; short of some incredible experience, beliefs acquired in childhood may not be altered no matter what we learn. Is it the case, though, that we should be talking about learning particular beliefs as children rather than learning particular methodologies for acquiring beliefs and knowledge?

It seems to me that whatever beliefs one develops as a child, if one also develops a skeptical and critical attitude towards knowledge-claims — and retains that approach — then wouldn't they be less likely to hold on to their beliefs no matter what? Perhaps I'm simply being optimistic; if beliefs acquired when a child persist regardless of one's critical attitude or skeptical methodology, then this points to something very disturbing about the way our minds work.

On the other hand, if my optimism is justified, then it points to a ready and important solution to many of our problems: encourage skepticism and promote critical inquiry in our children from the youngest ages and all through school. If we raise then nation's youth to be critical thinkers, then they will be more likely to adopt better beliefs as adults, regardless of what they learn to believe as children.

 

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