Full of wise doubts

[tlv]

Bertrand Russell once famously said: 'The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.?

I am not sure whether it is the whole problem with the world, but certainly the rest seems to be true. Here is a good analysis of what he probably had in mind and for us to contemplate on, if desired and if there is nothing else to do on this Friday the third.

https://quotationcelebration.wordpress.com/2017/10/21/the-whole-problem-with-the-world-is-that-fools-and-fanatics-are-always-so-certain-of-themselves-and-wiser-people-so-full-of-doubts-bertrand-russell/

[QUOTE]
There have been few philosophers as colorful as Bertrand Russell. He was as likely to be vilified by his admirers as by his critics. In addition to being a philosopher, Russell was a mathematician, logician, historian, social critic, lecturer, and political activist. At some point he made nearly everyone angry. But despite all of the criticisms lodged at him, Russell was one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950. Love him or hate him, a thinking person must take his thoughts seriously and should grapple with them honestly.

Coming from a thinker as brilliant as Bertrand Russell, his observation deserves a fair hearing. And if there was ever a thinker that should have been 100% certain of everything he believed, it was Bertrand Russell. One of history?s great logicians, he knew what he believed and why he should believe it. And yet, he understood that CERTAINTY is a luxury no thinker can afford. So he said:

?The whole problem with the world is that
fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves,
and wiser people so full of doubts.?

So why are fools and fanatics so certain of themselves? Let me suggest some reasons.

THE FOOL
Fools tend to be arrogant about what they think they know. And their arrogance about what they think they know leads them to be certain about it.

A fool is set in his opinions. By definition a fool resists counsel. A fool believes he knows best. A fool believes his knowledge is superior to others. And fools love to air their own opinions. Have you noticed? It?s the fool?s arrogance about what he thinks he knows that leads him to his position of self-certainty.

So the fool persists in his arrogant certainty. And it?s nearly impossible to dislodge the fool from his self-proclaimed knowledge position. The wise are met with disdain by the fool. The fool ?knows.? The fool is CERTAIN that he knows. The problem with the fool is that he doesn?t know enough to know that he doesn?t know. And he cannot be convinced otherwise.

THE FANATIC
Though the fanatic is not a ?fool? in the classic sense, the fanatic is equally certain of what he believes. The fanatic is so committed to his CAUSE, he refuses to hear and seriously consider opposing viewpoints. We find fanatics in all areas of life:

Sports
Religion
Politics
Education
Crime
Economics
Fools and fanatics believe they already know what is true. And already knowing what is true, they?re certain they?re right and cannot possibly be wrong. Fools and fanatics don?t know all they don?t know. Their ignorance makes them CERTAIN because they don?t know what they don?t know.

Fools and fanatics tend to be dogmatic about their beliefs. To be dogmatic is to assert one?s opinion in an arrogant and opinionated manner. Fools and fanatics are not known for listening to reason or engaging in rational discussion. Someone has said that

?Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position,
but certainty is an absurd one.?

Unfortunately neither the fool nor the fanatic accept this adage. Whether certainty is an absurd position or not?the fool and the fanatic remain certain.

THE WISE
So why are the wise so full of doubt while the fool and fanatic are so so certain of themselves? Three main reasons.

The wise tend to be more humble when it comes to what they know, because they know there is so much they don?t know. Wise people recognize that they have limited knowledge?no matter how much knowledge they have. They realize there?s a world of knowledge beyond what they possess. And because there are so many things the wise realize they DON?T KNOW?they tend to have doubts. The fool and fanatic don?t have these doubts because they believe they know FAR MORE than they actually do.
The wise, even when very confident of what they know, realize nonetheless they COULD BE WRONG. They believe they could be wrong because they know they don?t know EVERYTHING. The wise are humble in their knowledge. They aren?t arrogant like the fool and fanatic. And with their humility comes the belief they could be wrong. And with that belief comes doubt.
The wise are willing to listen to the opinions and findings of others. They tend to respect what others know. They understand that what they DON?T KNOW someone else MIGHT KNOW. In fact, the wise know that others might have knowledge that leads them to change their position. They aren?t afraid to change their position. They?re more interested in WHAT IS RIGHT than they are in WHO IS RIGHT. And because they?re open to changing what they currently believe?they can have doubts.
Russell, despite his brilliance and phenomenal intellect, understood that there are so many things we don?t know. A healthy humility regarding our knowledge is always appropriate. An openness to the opinions and findings of others, whether professional or amateur, is commendable. And a willingness to change one?s opinion and position in view of increased knowledge is always admirable. We don?t need to apologize for our doubts. Doubts are often just proof that we?re flexible. Proof that we?re humble about what we know. And that recognizing we don?t know might just be the key to knowing more.

[techynt]

Did Bertrand Russell say, we may not be sure about existance of god, but we still want to use that as an excuse to make laws which will affect society?

And I wonder what about the persecution of minority religions being done because of non-confirmed version of someone’s god?

[vapasi1]

I agree that the more you know, you realise the more you don’t know. If ones who think they are sure are fools, what are ones that try to force their surety on others?

A majority of the population is still theist. No intellectual has till date argued that ignorant, unintelligent or the likes are lesser human beings and their voice should not be heard. In fact, in democracy everyone has only one vote for a good reason.

[tlv]

Oh no.. not one more God's own thread please. Being certain versus being full of wise doubts might fit well here.

[boca]

Bertrand Russell once famously said: 'The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.?

I am not sure whether it is the whole problem with the world, but certainly the rest seems to be true. Here is a good analysis of what he probably had in mind and for us to contemplate on, if desired and if there is nothing else to do on this Friday the third.

It was from his essay titled "The Triumph of Stupidity", reflecting upon Nazism in Germany.

http://russell-j.com/0583TS.HTM

It was more a lament on why the so called intelligent folks couldn't join hands, rather than be "impotent spectators".
[quote]A hundred years ago the philosophical radicals formed a school of intelligent men who were just as sure of themselves as the Hitlerites are; the result was that they dominated politics and that the world advanced rapidly both in intelligence and in material well-being.

It is quite true that the intelligence of the philosophical radicals was very limited. It is, I think, undeniable that the best men of the present day have a wider and truer outlook, but the best men of that day had influence, while the best men of this are impotent spectators. Perhaps we shall have to realise that scepticism and intellectual individualism are luxuries which in our tragic age must be forgone, and if intelligence is to be effective, it will have to be combined with a moral fervour which it usually possessed in the past but now usually lacks.

In this gloomy state of affairs, the brightest spot is America. In America democracy still appears well established, and the men in power deal with what is amiss by constructive measures, not by pogroms and wholesale imprisonment. After the defeat of the French Revolution, democracy; discredited by the reign of terror, reconquered the world from America. Perhaps America is destined once more to save Europe from the consequences of its excesses.[/quote]

Before the thread goes into God tangent, thought would post this. Perhaps it is time to use this thread to bash the Nazi Trump? :) It will be a welcome diversion for the believers, as many on the other side would gladly join. :)

[drb]

I agree that the more you know, you realise the more you don’t know. If ones who think they are sure are fools, what are ones that try to force their surety on others?

Probably, I shouldn't bring this in, but this is my personal anecdote.
When I started with medical research decades ago, I thought getting a PhD with the research that I do would be the 'end'.
Nope,
as I progressed along, I became aware that the more I acquired knowledge, there is much more that I didn't know. Whether I like it or not, humility forcefully slaps me then and there.

And having to work with many many people in research projects with varied opinions & differences, I began to 'evolve' that listening and trying to understand the differences and come towards a conformity did have much greater impact. And that's how I feel humanity should develop/survive and not mud slinging at each other.

[vapasi1]

Oh no.. not one more God's own thread please. Being certain versus being full of wise doubts might fit well here.

Spillover fom the hangover.....sorry!

[vapasi1]

Probably, I shouldn't bring this in, but this is my personal anecdote.
When I started with medical research decades ago, I thought getting a PhD with the research that I do would be the 'end'.
Nope,
as I progressed along, I became aware that the more I acquired knowledge, there is much more that I didn't know. Whether I like it or not, humility forcefully slaps me then and there.

And having to work with many many people in research projects with varied opinions & differences, I began to 'evolve' that listening and trying to understand the differences and come towards a conformity did have much greater impact. And that's how I feel humanity should develop/survive and not mud slinging at each other.

I kept getting doubts until after I defended my dissertation:) After having worked on it for years, it was unsettling but not unusual. My advisor gave me a tip that helped me. He said that I am the one who did the research which has not been done before bcoz of which it is being evaluated for a PhD. So he told me to be confident and the only thing that I should make sure is be consistent in my reasoning of all the sets of data and how it rationalises with literature. Wrong or right should be the last of my concerns on the D day:)

Anyway, by Russell’s we are neither fools nor fanatics :)

[techynt]

Oh no.. not one more God's own thread please. Being certain versus being full of wise doubts might fit well here.

God is the best example of this, people cannot prove something but they are so certain that they will use it as a reason to kill others...

unless the purpose of this thread is philosophy in vaccum and ponder over wise and full of doubts? :)

[tlv]

God is the best example of this ... :)

Best in your view? You seem very certain about that while I have my doubts. Let me check what could be a better example.