The concept of 'belief' is iffy. Every human has to rely on belief to some degree.

Example: If you buy a can of beans from a grocery store, do you need proof that there are beans in the can? Or do you just believe that there are beans in there based on the circumstantial evidence of whats written on the label?

People's answers to the question can only be in varying degrees i.e. how much proof do you need to believe in something etc

This post was edited by kayeto on Dec 24 2011 08:30pm

For that example: You know the weight of an empty can from experience. You can tell that the can is heavier than an empty can. From past experiences, you also know that every time in the past that you have opened a can of beans, there were beans inside. Every single time. You can trust that there are beans in this can labeled beans at the grocery store, but you cannot have faith that there are beans inside. That is the difference between the two.

but how do your 2 italicized words relate to 'belief'?

the thread was about belief .. not trust or faith....

There are reasonable "beliefs" based on past experience through repeatedly reproducible evidence and trust and unreasonable beliefs based on the hope that those beliefs are actually true.

I wouldn't even use the word "belief" to describe the fact that a can of beans actually has beans inside of it.

Then what is a reasonable "belief" as defined by the words you just used?

I defined it already and you quoted that definition. A "belief" is reasonable if it is based on past experience through repeatedly reproducible evidence.

But you said you wouldn't use the world belief to describe my bean can example. So what would be an example of a reasonable belief then?

If something is not based on reliably reproducible evidence, then belief in that things is irrational, and I would consider such a belief unreasonable. That is why I would not use the word belief for any scenario that you can have reliably reproducible evidence to justify a claim (e.g. that beans are inside the bean can).

ok, so then what IS an example of something that IS a "reasonable belief" ?

I can't think of one. Feel free to post suggestions, if you want, but I was only said "reasonable 'belief' " to keep using the same terminology that you had been using.