Seven ways to respond

As I see it, there are only two directions one can go when offering a statement of fact on a subject. Since I am interested in how to adequately respond to what is commonly referred to as an “entrenched belief” an understanding of how we respond is in order.

Basically, in my opinion, there are seven possible mechanisms that will drive your support or condemnation of a particular entrenched belief. Four have to deal with the “belief” in the stated fact while two require neither belief in, or acceptance of, the fact(s) behind the statement being made (self-serving). How one will respond will be based on the dominant attitude about the topic at the time the response is given. It is, in my opinion, possible to move from belief to self-serving or from self-serving to belief.

Anyway – here they are:

You have no opinion one way or the other.

• Ignorant of the topic
• Uniformed of the parameters involved in the topic
• Too little information to form s statement of fact

You believe their statement to be true based on a correct analysis of the facts

• Plants get their energy from photosynthesis.
• The surge in Iraq worked.

You believe their statement to be true based on an incorrect interpretation of the facts

• Saddam had weapons of mass destruction to justify going to war
• Babies are born without kneecaps
• Hair and fingernails continue to grow after death. (optical illusion caused by retraction of the skin after death)

You benefit from their statement being believed as true

• Saddam has weapons of mass destruction
• Santa knows if you are naughty or nice.
• Obama is a Muslim
• McCain fathered a black child

You benefit from their statement being believed as false

• Fossil records support the theory of evolution.
• Modern Nuclear power plants are very safe
• The risk of cancer posed by this site is extremely low

You believe their statement to be false based on a correct analysis of the facts

• Saddam had weapons of mass destruction to justify going to war.
• The earth is less than 10,000 years old.

You believe their statement to be false based on an incorrect interpretation of the facts

• Man landing on the moon in 1969 (Flag moves as if in the wind – proved possible in a vacuum on Mythbusters).