During our studies of the Toulmin model of argumentation today we progressed to learn about the causation warrant. One of the main things to remember about using this type of warrant was to make sure that the relationship between the events was not simply a correlation, but a cause-and-effect relationship. Furthermore, we discussed the Chaunticleer fallacy which stems from a fable about a rooster believing the sun came up only because he crowed every morning.
While almost every person agrees with the theories that the sun doesn’t rise because of the rooster and the Chaunticleer fallacy in general, there are two common contradictions to this principle: superstition and luck. One of the most common superstitions is after someone says an event that you wish never to happen; you quickly knock on wood to prevent that malicious event. Even though it is quite obvious to even the most unintelligent of humans that knocking on a piece of a tree would have no impact whatsoever on future events, people still knock. In fact, in a survey seen here by Dr. Richard Wiseman 86% of people in the United Kingdom say they believe in knocking on wood to ward off malicious future events.
Luck defined as the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities is another seeming groundless belief contrived by the imaginative mind. One common and catchy saying, “See a penny, pick it up, and all day long you’ll have good luck,” clearly states that picking up a penny is going to in some way aid you during the next 24 hours. This is not based on any facts, studies, or experiments and is not in any way provable. Despite this when most people see a penny on the ground they pick it up, is it really because they want to be 1 cent richer? I don’t think so.
Even though there is clear, reasonable, and strong evidence to prove that superstition and luck are lunacy and idiocracy, do you think it is possible that humans are really that unintelligent, do you figure that sometimes people simply like to have fun and feel like a kid again, or do you believe that humans are able to overlook the evidence simply to ease their own consciences and subscribe to the forces of superstition and luck?
Tyler H.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
All three are valid, the last two reasons for such irrational belief, however, are essentially the same. People think emotionally, instead of logically. These are people who would rather have unreal satisfaction, than real disappointment. Then there is the other option, some people are stupid. Some people can't comprehend why their belief is wrong, unlike the emotional fallacy, there is no self deception involved.
"All three are valid*"
Referring to the explanations for such irrational beliefs, not the beliefs themselves.
I do not think that people are superstitious or participate in rituals in pursuit of luck due to a lack of intelligence.
According to a report on medicinenet.com, author Sarah Albert says, “Intelligence seems to have little to do with whether or not we subscribe to superstitions. Psychologist Stuart Vyse says that on the Harvard campus - where one would assume there are a lot of intelligent people - students frequently rub the foot of the statue of John Harvard for good luck. In a sense, a superstition, like other rituals, can become part of a campus, community or culture, and can help bring people together. ‘Most of the superstitions people engage in are perfectly fine, and are not pathological,’ says Vyse.
I read another interesting article on the psychologist B.F. Skinner and his experiment where he was able to create superstitious behavior in pigeons. This article demonstrates, as Tyler said, it is foolish to believe in superstitions. He placed them in a box and dispensed food to them every five minutes. After a while, the pigeons began to preform rituals because they thought there was a causal relationship between their behavior and the sudden appearance of food.
Julie Serpico
I think one of the main reasons why some subscribe to superstition is because they really have little or nothing to lose in believing. Furthermore, believing in luck can sometimes make one feel better - such as blaming whatever had happened to him or her on. (i.e. “My football team had won against yours in the past 5 consecutive years, but it lost terribly yesterday. Nothing good lasts forever; guess it was just our luck.”) Of course, that can be seen as being in denial, but psychologically, it seems to provide some kind of ease by taking the guilt off of one's own shoulders.
I also think (another reason being) that most of us as humans recognize the fact that we are not in complete control of everything and anything. That, in return, yields possibility for the existence and reign of something else - whether it is a divine entity, foreign species, or others. And because we're unable to provide a just explanation for everything that happens on a daily basis, some of us tend to credit luck, a superstitious belief, or other outside factors with the occurrence of those 'mysteries' because it seems to be beyond our control.
The pigeon study is similar to something that I know will offend some. Essentially superstition of the religious kind has been replicated.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult
I think the main reason people hold onto their superstitions is because they want something to believe in. Most people realize that relying on one cent and knocking on wood wont get you very far in life, but they believe that it will help. They don't believe in the actual process of grabbing that penny or not stepping on the sidewalk cracks; they want to believe that you can control your life in some way that is impossible. They do the little things with the hope that it will help them in their future.
-Sammi
Post a Comment