Doxastic Voluntarism? Can you choose your beliefs?

[Bubbles]

Can someone choose their beliefs ?

Doxastic voluntarism is the philosophical doctrine according to which people have voluntary control over their beliefs. Philosophers in the debate about doxastic voluntarism distinguish between two kinds of voluntary control. The first is known as direct voluntary control and refers to acts which are such that if a person chooses to perform them, they happen immediately. For instance, a person has direct voluntary control over whether he or she is thinking about his or her favorite song at a given moment. The second is known as indirect voluntary control and refers to acts which are such that although a person lacks direct voluntary control over them, he or she can cause them to happen if he or she chooses to perform some number of other, intermediate actions. For instance, a person untrained in music has indirect voluntary control over whether he or she will play a melody on a violin. Corresponding to this distinction between two kinds of voluntary control, philosophers distinguish between two kinds of doxastic voluntarism. Direct doxastic voluntarism claims that people have direct voluntary control over at least some of their beliefs. Indirect doxastic voluntarism, however, supposes that people have indirect voluntary control over at least some of their beliefs, for example, by doing research and evaluating evidence.

This article offers an introductory explanation of the nature of belief, the nature of voluntary control, the reasons for the consensus regarding indirect doxastic voluntarism, the reasons for the disagreements regarding direct doxastic voluntarism, and the practical implications for the debate about doxastic voluntarism in ethics, epistemology, political theory, and the philosophy of religion.

http://www.iep.utm.edu/doxa-vol/

I've always thought up to a point we can?

What do you think?

http://www.philosophyofreligion.info/theistic-proofs/pascals-wager/we-cannot-choose-our-beliefs/

[Shaker]

I see absolutely no reason to think that I can. I can't choose to believe any given proposition if it conflicts with my reason which is ultimately built upon my experience of existence in the world. I can say that I do; I can pretend that I do; I can lie about doing so; but I can't actually do it.

[Nearly Sane]

The idea,of choosing one's beliefs creates an infinite regress

[Rhiannon]

It's impossible. I've tried.

There are limits to how long anyone can lie to themselves.

[Hope]

I see absolutely no reason to think that I can. I can't choose to believe any given proposition if it conflicts with my reason which is ultimately built upon my experience of existence in the world. I can say that I do; I can pretend that I do; I can lie about doing so; but I can't actually do it.

So, you can't, over time change from believing that left-wing politics is the be-all and end-all, to believing that right-wing politics (or a mix of both) is?

[Hope]

I see absolutely no reason to think that I can. I can't choose to believe any given proposition if it conflicts with my reason which is ultimately built upon my experience of existence in the world. I can say that I do; I can pretend that I do; I can lie about doing so; but I can't actually do it.

Might explain why I could never be an atheist.

[Nearly Sane]

So, you can't, over time change from believing that left-wing politics is the be-all and end-all, to believing that right-wing politics (or a mix of both) is?

Can you outline where you get that from Shaker's post because it seems like a complete non sequitur. Nothing in the post states, implies or even hints at change of beliefs being impossible.

[Shaker]

Can you outline where you get that from Shaker's post because it seems like a complete non sequitur. Nothing in the post states, implies or even hints at change of beliefs being impossible.

Well I was going to say that ... but you did

[Hope]

Well I was going to say that ... but you did

Well, the thread title is .... Can you choose your beliefs?  Shakes' opening gambit in his opening post on the thread is "I see absolutely no reason to think that I can."

[Nearly Sane]

Well, the thread title is .... Can you choose your beliefs?  Shakes' opening gambit in his opening post on the thread is "I see absolutely no reason to think that I can."

which has no position on whether your beliefs might change. Again can you explain why you think it has any such implication?

[Hope]

which has no position on whether your beliefs might change. Again can you explain why you think it has any such implication?

In order for opinions to change, one has to be able to choose to change.  For instance, I voted Tory in 1979, because of what I saw as the danage that was being done to the British economy and even society by the previous Labour government.  I have never voted Labour, and have never voted Tory since that time.  I know tend to be more on the Green end of politics.  I chose that movement from my original stance.

[Nearly Sane]

In order for opinions to change, one has to be able to choose to change.  For instance, I voted Tory in 1979, because of what I saw as the danage that was being done to the British economy and even society by the previous Labour government.  I have never voted Labour, and have never voted Tory since that time.  I know tend to be more on the Green end of politics.  I chose that movement from my original stance.

No, in order for views to change, they have to change. Inserting 'choose to change' is begging the question here. If views are caused by influences, then changes in influences will change the views. Nothing in the idea that we do not choose beliefs has any implication that views do not change.

[Shaker]

Might explain why I could never be an atheist.

There are other explanations aplenty for that.

[Nearly Sane]

In order for opinions to change, one has to be able to choose to change.  For instance, I voted Tory in 1979, because of what I saw as the danage that was being done to the British economy and even society by the previous Labour government.  I have never voted Labour, and have never voted Tory since that time.  I know tend to be more on the Green end of politics.  I chose that movement from my original stance.

and, in addition to the other questions, can you explain how choice of belief works given the infinite regress it causes?

[Shaker]

In order for opinions to change, one has to be able to choose to change.

This of course is merely a rather (well ... entirely) redundant restatement of doxastic voluntarism, and not a justification for it.

[Shaker]

For instance, I voted Tory in 1979

Well that's at least one of those to blame identified. You're on the list.

[Hope]

Well that's at least one of those to blame identified. You're on the list.

Well, at least we weren't condemned to another x years of Labour Government.  The mines would probably have been shut even quicker had we had that.   

[Hope]

Inserting 'choose to change' is begging the question here.

I would disagree.  One can question and interrogate influences, just as one can question and interrogate anything. One still has to choose to do that questioning (or not as the case might be).  It isn't automatic.

[BeRational]

I would disagree.  One can question and interrogate influences, just as one can question and interrogate anything. One still has to choose to do that questioning (or not as the case might be).  It isn't automatic.

You still cannot choose beliefs.
Beliefs are emergent from your analysis or weighing up of the data you have.

Can you choose to believe that your God does not exist?

[ekim]

Can someone choose their beliefs ?

I've always thought up to a point we can?

What do you think?

You can change your belief.  Whether it's a choice to change perhaps depends upon what the belief is based upon.  If it is based upon an emotion e.g. through fear of falling I believe I could not walk a tightrope across a canyon, but through years of practice, I have overcome the fear and now choose to believe I can and I follow this by testing the belief and walk the walk.  If I have an emotional attachment to a belief in an afterlife, after a rational assessment of probability I could choose an alternative belief, which so far can only be tested when I die.

[Nearly Sane]

I would disagree.  One can question and interrogate influences, just as one can question and interrogate anything. One still has to choose to do that questioning (or not as the case might be).  It isn't automatic.

You are simply repeating the assertion, and also showing the infinite regress your position creates since you would have to believe that one should question the belief which would mean you would have to believe that it was right to believe that it was right to question the choice and to believe that it was right to believe it was right to believe that it was right to question the choice and so on ad infinitum

[Maeght]

You cannot choose at any given moment to believe in something you don't or to change your beliefs. Beliefs and opinions can change over time. As ever in this debate it comes down initially to what is meant by choosing and those who claim you can choose your beliefs tend to see this as a long term process and those who don't are referring to 'at any moment'. That's how I see it anyway.

[Nearly Sane]

You cannot choose at any given moment to believe in something you don't or to change your beliefs. Beliefs and opinions can change over time. As ever in this debate it comes down initially to what is meant by choosing and those who claim you can choose your beliefs tend to see this as a long term process and those who don't are referring to 'at any moment'. That's how I see it anyway.

I don't see this is the case, I agree that beliefs are formed over time and I don't think there is a choice.

[ekim]

I don't see this is the case, I agree that beliefs are formed over time and I don't think there is a choice.

Perhaps the choice come in when you choose to act upon a belief e.g. with the tightrope walker, despite a lingering belief he could fall he believes he won't and chooses to face the moment of truth.

[Maeght]

I don't see this is the case, I agree that beliefs are formed over time and I don't think there is a choice.

I don't think there is a choice either - so wondering what you meant by 'I don't see this is the case'.