Recursive Musings

[swestrup]

No one should be surprised that I don't believe in fairies.
Its only slightly unusual that I believe in believing in fairies.
The big question is: Do I believe in believing in believing in fairies?

I can't decide, and it shall probably keep me up all night.

Comments

[skjalm.livejournal.com]

Or maybe you're just a fairy who believes it is human?

[hendrikboom.livejournal.com]

There's a wonderful argument that saying "I believe ..." can be evidence that you don't.

I forget who wrote it, but it goes something like

She showed him a book, and askes, "What colour is this?"
He replied, "I believe it's red."
"No you don't!"
After much philosphising, the upshoe of the argument is that if he had believed it was red, be would have said "It's red." instead of "I believe it's red."

But I'm not sure if the same would hold for statements starting "I believe *in*".

[swestrup]

Well, its certainly evidence of uncertainty in the belief to say 'I believe' in such a context. I think that 'I believe in' has a different meaning though.