Processes of Believing: The Acquisition, Maintenance, and Change in Creditions

Viac o knihe

This volume explores why we believe what we believe, examining contemporary research on beliefs and the processes involved in forming them. It incorporates empirical findings from neuroscience about the underlying mechanisms of belief formation, emphasizing that humans not only analyze sensory information from the complex world but also engage in evaluative analysis to attribute personal meaning to probabilistic representations of objects and events. Beliefs significantly influence behavior, decision-making, and problem-solving, yet they have historically been overlooked in scientific inquiry. The term "belief" remains poorly defined, and current approaches to understanding it appear incompatible, addressing various aspects such as religion, spirituality, faith, knowledge, attitudes, disbelief, illusion, and brain function. This fragmentation contradicts the notion that belief is merely pathological and should be excluded from scientific discussions. Instead, believing is essential for navigating everyday life and is relevant to politics, international affairs, economics, law, and religion in modern societies. The book highlights the growing scientific interest in beliefs and reflects a shift in focus from the content of beliefs to the dynamic nature of the believing process.