While I have crystallized the contents of my brain yet, I have been able to come up with an extensive question list. These questions are the surrounding thoughts that hover above my head a most times. Some reflect the changing time and culture. Some reflect my lack of identity (a singular, persistent idea that I try to be Zen about). Most, if not all are the circular concepts of belief and ideas on the scale of human existence rather than an individual. I'm thinking it would be nice right about now for some university to pay me a stipend while I do dissertation research to figure all of this out (assuming that there is an answer).
- What is belief?
- What is the rate of change of ideas? (e.g. how much time did it take for the global population to believe/accept that the world is round rather than flat?)
- How does language and communication affect the rate?
- How does influence affect belief?
- How does influence affect the rate of change of ideas?
- How to define influence and also classify between levels of influence (e.g. individual vs community vs global)
- What types of influence are there? Characterize.
- What are beliefs based on?
- What are the degrees of belief? (e.g. deep beliefs vs shallow beliefs, personal/private vs public/intellectual acceptance of facts)
- How does the degree affect the act of believing?
- What is required for belief?
- How does literature/art play a role in the change of ideas?
- Are there any physiological (neurological?) components to belief? (Keep separate from basic physiological response)
- How does form of transmission (current and past) affect the rate of change?
- What affects how long a belief is held? (linked to what beliefs are based on and the degrees of belief)
So I think that about covers it. I touched on psychology, sociology, anthropology, art, literature, biology, and philosophy. Although looking at the list, I think now, I may have at least two dissertations on my hands.
Comments (2)
you might have fun with this book then...i'm so pissed off i lost my copy ; (
@mildlyobsessed - the books sounds interesting. I'll have to look it up. Thanks.