Just curious...

[MaC]

How do you know you're right?

When it comes to politics, ethics, economics, history, or what have you...  Everyone has a different set of premises to base their ideas from.  Most people use different sources for information.

So when you have a conviction, what makes you so sure of it?

[Bandit3 the Worker]

So when you have a conviction, what makes you so sure of it?

Proven facts and personal experience. The latter is something that a lot of people here lack.

[Ebowed]

Well, I become more convinced of an ideal if I meet people that it applies to.  So, I become more convinced that I should support gay marriage if I meet someone who's gay, etc.  Doesn't work for everything but it's a fairly good guide.

[Friz]

Life experience and a decent conscience does wonders.  Asking yourself the question, "If I was in this situation, how would I want to be treated?" helps too.

[CARLHAYDEN]

How do you know you're right?

When it comes to politics, ethics, economics, history, or what have you...  Everyone has a different set of premises to base their ideas from.  Most people use different sources for information.

So when you have a conviction, what makes you so sure of it?

You are absolutely correct.

The most common basis for disagreement on politics and history is the information base.  This is why my posts are generally replete with information.

Secondly, it seems to me that operating logically is a better means of seeking the best policy.

Thirdly, even with an agreement on the data base, and a logical approach, people can disagree on the best policy if their value system differs.

[MaC]

I'll say that certain political issues I'll disagree with at least 70% of the board because I've looked at "history" at a different angle or perhaps I know a little past what the public schools and colleges' veiw point will teach.

However, I am assuming this point of veiw is right.  How to really know what happened 90 years ago?  Live back then.  Is it possible? Not at all.
So everything is basically a crapshoot there.

It does help to back up knowledge with a personal experience or know people with that experience, but then I can also have things that will show me differently.

[7,052,770]

Well, I become more convinced of an ideal if I meet people that it applies to.  So, I become more convinced that I should support gay marriage if I meet someone who's gay, etc.  Doesn't work for everything but it's a fairly good guide.

^^^^^^  Pretty much the exact same answer, right down to deciding to favor gay marriage once I actually met and befriended some gay people.

[Keystone Phil]

So when you have a conviction, what makes you so sure of it?

Proven facts and personal experience. The latter is something that a lot of people here lack.

People in glass houses...

[Gabu]

How do you know you're right?

I don't.

[Alcon]

I don't.

I spend a significant amount of time thinking about what if I'm wrong, what will be the effects, am I still a decent person for propagating something I believe in even if it does harm, how does that make me better than some "evil" zealots etc.?

[AkSaber]

I haven't really thought about it that way. I believe what I believe, and I think it's right. I agree with fezzy. I have a strong desire to be fair and just.

[Gabu]

I haven't really thought about it that way. I believe what I believe, and I think it's right. I agree with fezzy. I have a strong desire to be fair and just.

Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I have a strong desire to be unfair and unjust.

[Alcon]

I haven't really thought about it that way. I believe what I believe, and I think it's right. I agree with fezzy. I have a strong desire to be fair and just.

Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I have a strong desire to be unfair and unjust.

That reminds me of that political quiz that tells everyone "you have a well developed sense of right and wrong and believe in economic fairness" no matter their result.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

I believe I'm wrong 90% of the time (though I'm not sure WHICH 90%) so basically I go upon my intregrated worldview.. which is often just a mix-match of Prejudices and moronic opinions with a little bit of sense in there. Somewhere. I think most people are the same.

[CARLHAYDEN]

I haven't really thought about it that way. I believe what I believe, and I think it's right. I agree with fezzy. I have a strong desire to be fair and just.

Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I have a strong desire to be unfair and unjust.

Yeah, we already know that about you.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Common sense.  Empathy.  Natural tendency to question authority.

Though I must say common sense is becoming less and less common by the day.

[Dr. Cynic]

Life expiriences, facts, heavy reading, and my own judgement of right and wrong.

[SPC]

I use logical reasoning to know that what I believe is correct. I also use my sense of fairness.

[Bono]

I don't, I just find it hard to operate on the opposite assumption.

[angus]

How do you know you're right?

Once upon a time there was a princess named Lenore.  She lived in the castle of her father, the king.  His kingdom was always at war, and his armies generally fought at close quarters with sharp blades, as was the fashion of the time.  One day, Lenore became dreadfully ill.  Her father summoned his physician, but the physician could not figure out what the matter was.  So the old king asked Lenore what would make her feel better, and she replied, "Bring me the moon.  And then I shall be well and happy."  The king summoned all his lords and ministers and asked them to figure out a way to bring Lenore the moon, but they could not.  They said the moon was as big as the castle, made of molten copper, and was fifty thousand miles away.  The king summoned the wizard and asked him to conjure up a moon for Lenore.  But his power was not great enough to bring the moon from the sky, as it was as big as the kingdom, made of green cheese, and was a hundred tousand miles away.  So the king summoned his high priest and asked him to implore his god to bring him the moon.  But the priest said that the moon was as big as the earth, was made of ice, and was five hundred thousand miles away.  Depressed, the king summoned his jester.  When the jester appeared, he asked the king why he was so sad.  The king said, all my ministers, wizard, and priest are so sure how far away the moon is and what it's made of and that they cannot retrieve it for Lenore.  And so the jester said, "Well, if they're all so sure of themselves, then maybe they're all right.  Let's ask Lenore how far away is the moon and how big it is and what it's made of, and maybe then we can find a way to bring it to her."  So the jester entered Lenore's chambers and asked her.  She said, it's made of gold and as big as a coin and it's high in the sky.  Higher than the castle, but not so high as the tree, because sometimes it appears to be caught in its higher branches.  With that information, the jester had a gold coin made, and brought it to Lenore.  She hung it on a chain around her neck and wore it all the time, and it made her happy and well.  The king was so grateful that he knighted the jester and they all lived happily ever after.

Thomas Edison was flunked out of school in the eighth grade.  He simply couldn't accept what man could not do, and he even tried to hatch a chicken egg by sitting on it.  It made such a big mess that his teachers called him a dunce and asked him to stay at home instead of coming to school and disrupting the class with his ignorant antics.  It was probably because of his ignorance that he was able harness the power of electricity, something his schoolmasters would have taught him he could not possibly do.

Certainty comes from within, and it can be a blessing or a curse.  You can be dead right and dead wrong at the same time, grasshopper.  Never be so sure that something cannot be done that your certainty inhibits the attempt.

[Alcon]

I haven't really thought about it that way. I believe what I believe, and I think it's right. I agree with fezzy. I have a strong desire to be fair and just.

Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I have a strong desire to be unfair and unjust.

Yeah, we already know that about you.

clap

[MaC]

Though I must say common sense is becoming less and less common by the day.

Ha, I'd say 'common sense' doesn't exist outside a book one of the founding fathers wrote.

[angus]

Though I must say common sense is becoming less and less common by the day.

one would hope.  see my post about edison.  and forget about semiconductors, antibiotics, and space travel if you're relying on "common sense" 

Natural tendency to question authority.

Lucky for us, edison, einstein, and a few others lacked common sense and had a natural tendency to do just that.