How do you know when you are wrong about knowledge, beliefs, things in general?

my thoughts generally go against the grain, and i do not care if i am villified or mocked for my thoughts, because they are just that my thoughts. to be honest sometimes i just like to challenge people's beliefs even if i know for a fact that what they are saying is the truth. i like to figure out the extent of an individuals conviction when it comes to certain things. like there is people who will believe something simply because they have been told to, simply because they are following the herd because it is easier. i like to play devil's advocate in such cases. i don't like it when someone just takes something as fact before investigating it. i like for someone to know why they believe something to be the truth, not because some arb. third party told them, but because they went out there to investigate it. that is the route to learning right. there are also times when i will argue because i think that someone' line of thinking is skew and needs to be adjusted. i am that way about religion and some religious practices, this is not only because i do not believe in organized religion but also because i am forever on a quest to learn more about everything. just because i do not believe in organized religion does not mean that i look down on people who do, it means i am excited to view life through their eyes and the decisions that they make. so in spite of the fact that i have digressed, i believe that in order to find out if there is a possiblity that something is true is to investigate, ask as many questions as possible of people who are knowledgeable in that subject or field. above all be open-minded be not so set in your ways that you refuse to embrace the fact that there is a possiblilty that you may be wrong.

VERY GOOD!! VERY GOOD! There are beliefs and there are facts. Beliefs are not always true but facts are. Sometimes what we know to be a fact will change into a belief with the application of new knowledge. Since, unlike some, I can never know it all, I must question everything!!! Real facts will never change. If they do, they were never facts to start with. The key is to develop an open mind with the widest vision possible, knowing that even a homeless person you meet on the street might carry imformation you do not have. Everyone in the world carries a different view. This allows for a much greater view than any one person can have. It is our duty to show our view to others for the good of all. Now this can sometimes cause a bit of Drama!! Don't let that bother you. Isn't that when most of the learning really takes place anyway??? Great discussion! I can tell you are a THINKER!!

I believe it is a very thought provoking question and there are things in life that I will never know for sure, but I have been known to take gambles in life, some pay and some have not pay off. In knowledge it is easy to go with what the general public takes as regular knoledge, not even Galileo could be Galileo, so imagine living in a society where one stands out as a sore thumb because one believes something very different from the majority is seriously very hard to live like that.

It is painful to impose a new ideology to me if the new one is against my decades of insistant belief, like if people try to talk with me into the faith that we are created.No, no way would i believe that. I believe in Darwen thoery.for me, it represents science, authoritative science.Even if there are updated research about how we human being evolved, it is still hard for me to shake off the previous thinking.Most of us judge things and people basing on our expriences, past knowledge.but anyway, if they really are able to prove that i m misdirected, i won't mind to take up new things to keep up.Man should be intrusive

What a great discussion. I think I have an open mind but that I also stay with my beliefs untill, after research find the belief in question needs to be modified. Unfortunately where I live, I don't get to examine my beliefs much because I don't necessarily find the people around me (while I like and love them respectfully) the type of people that offer me solid reasons for me to question myself. Thus the reason I find mylots exciting. I also believe that what we have come to believe can change with the times, different place we live, the friends we are around and just life in general. Currently the people in my circle seem to be afraid to get into strong discussions. I get passionate but it dosn't mean I don't want to hear what you have to say. The more passionate I get, the more you are making me lood at things. Thanks for the discussion.

Yes this is true and there are different types of pyschology such as behaviorism, freudism, etc. I myself do not mind if what I study or learn always go against my beliefs. If you never challenge your own beliefs how can one know if they are true or not.

i think if you belive in something it's not wrong, but to push what you belife onto someone else and telling them what they belife is wrong. then its wrong to do that. i find myself facing this from many of people my belife is wrong, but i dont push my on anyone else. i like to to talk how my belife and their's are different and except them for who and what they are.

This is indeed a very good discussion and I am happy to respond to it. I did not know much about it and thanks to your post I have learn something today from you, I know when I am wrong when someone point that to me and then only I tend to realise that if what I was thinking was wrong then what is the right thought and then only my mind starts thinking of the other option which was always available but I did not consider it.

Hi coolsid2007, Personally from what i've seen and understood in life, it is impossible for anyone to know that something they are doing is wrong. "Right and wrong" are bred into us (Not always the right was either) throughout our live. We usually label these morals so we dont even realise that since forever we have been "Taught" right and wrong. Personally i look into a situation and the people involved and try to work out what is logically the right outcome. This doesn't always work because all people are different and because the morals people instill in themselves and their families differ from family to family. Basically something that you see as "Ok to do", could and most probably will be seen as a crime, sin or wrong doing by another person, family etc. Nothing in this life is inherently good or bad. They are just terms we add to the feeling of loss or gain when someone does something that affects you or your surroundings personally. I hope this helps.

Now days people are much more open, and we dont get our heads cut off (atleast in the us) for voicing out opinions, so i would think more people try thinking different vs being afraid of traditional beliefs. I personaly try to think different.