Philosophy Now Forum

Howard Darmstadter considers different ways of seeing the world.

https://philosophynow.org/issues/107/Why_We_Cant_Agree

We agree sometimes.

Often we don´t agree because we make different assumptions, many of them unconsciously.

The author is completely clueless, something that one could expect from medieval superstition, but not something in anno 2015.
He doesn't understand compulsions, high intellect, etc.

Another totally worthless article.

...in a global society we must often deal with people whose situations and wants are different from our own. A multi-model understanding tells us that such differences may make conversion unlikely. Once we give up on conversion, we may look for those mutually beneficial accommodations that are possible even when models differ.
© Howard Darmstadter 2015

If 'conversion' is about leading someone to a better understanding of the world...as it is, warts an' all rather than some fantasy/idealised version... then why would anyone want to give up on it?

If 'conversion' is about extreme force and change due to intolerance of another's belief/non-belief, then yes...Give it up, for God's sake.

In the latter case, there is unlikely to be any 'mutually beneficial accommodation' but feel free to look...

My favorite quote from Max Planck:

"A scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it."

If you've been building a fortress of your belief systems for decenniums, it's easier to die than change it.