How tolerant do we need to be of others’ beliefs?

[gscraig]

So I’m new to the site, but I have a request to make. In my graduate studies, I am studying how people evaluate others who disagree with them about beliefs. I came here because one of our expectations is that people at different ends of the political spectrum may have different takes on the issue. It’s online, and it would be great if you’d take part. It takes about 10 minutes and you’ll get some feedback on your responses at the end.


the study

[Ozymanithrax]

1. Interesting study...

Your responses indicate that you think that beliefs are a matter of personal concern, and that each person ought to be able to believe whatever they want. You may think that one set of beliefs is not necessarily better than any other. You are more accepting of differing beliefs than most respondents.

As to the doctor part. A doctor that did not believe in scientific method or evolution would not be acceptable.

Nobody should be ridiculed for their beliefs. Disagreeing about beliefs isn't ridicule.

[Igel]

43. Nah.

My endocrinologist, when presented with data that doesn't comport with published research or what she teaches simply says the data have to be wrong and moves on. No attempt to find the problem, even though if the data are accurate then there's likely to be a rather serious problem with my health.

At the same time, I really don't care if she believes in evolution. I'm not evolving, and creationists I've known--even at the PhD level in biology--come to the same kinds of decisions and conclusions on pretty much everything that evolutionists have. Whether it's the results of a cladistic analysis of genetic variation, dealing with the distribution of variation and features, or numerous other things. It was important in making some hypotheses, but they actually accepted evolution as a working hypothesis even if they considered it fundamentally flawed.

My roommate once told me that the theory of biological evolution was crucial in all sciences. His brother, in a PhD biology program and an evolutionist, disagreed, and basically said I what I wrote in the previous paragraph. My roommate was displeased with his brother, turned to me for support, and I asked him how it was crucial for the science he was studying--he was in graduate program in astrophysics--and he just scowled, got up and left. (Yes, I've known creationists who would chuck stellar evolution and cosmogony, but I've known far more that simply carved out a special little niche for biology on Earth.)

[XOKCowboy]

2. I tolerate all beliefs until they start proselytizing

Then I walk away. I treat all people the same. Period.

[Zoeisright]

33. Exactly. I don't really care what people believe or don't believe. But when they

try to force those beliefs on others, either through proselytizing or through trying to enact laws based on theology, I am not tolerant at all. At that point I tell them to STFU.

[virginia mountainman]

3. hmmm, Evidently I am pretty tolerant..

Your responses indicate that you think that beliefs that one person holds are only occasionally a matter of concern for others. Though people should mostly be allowed to believe whatever they want, there are times when one belief is actually better than others.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In all honesty, I really don't care what anyone believes, it is when they ACT on their "wrong headed beliefs", that the problems arise.

[caledesi]

8. agree. nt

[Liquorice]

17. That was my result too. nt

[flyarm]

29. I got the same! eom

[frazzled]

4. What is a "factual belief"?

I realize it's a term used (arcanely) in philosophy, but I think people here would have a lot of problems with it. In the general population, there are facts (provable) and beliefs (not). One may believe something to be the case--that is, believe something to be a fact (that the capital of Slovenia is Wichita). That is (technically) a "factual belief", but it is not factual.

Most people here are going to tell you that if someone believes global warming does not exist, their belief is not "factual."

My suggestion is that you define your terms and rewrite the question.

[Posteritatis]

5. I was parsing it as "something I 'know' to be true." (nt)

[Zhade]

32. That's a flawed definition, though.

A religious believer can "know" that their god exists, but lacking any verifiable evidence to support that "knowledge", they don't actually know.

[Posteritatis]

40. That's why I put "know" in quotes. (nt)

[Rhiannon12866]

6. K&R. Done and welcome to DU.

This was pretty interesting... :hi:

[Posteritatis]

7. I cracked up at the food one.

Why yes, I imagine new evidence could change one of the characters' views on that one!

[Quantess]

9. What do you mean by "even number of stars in the Milky Way"?

Even / odd? Or some other reference to "even"?
Some reference would be helpful.

Does the other guy believe there are an odd number of stars, or what? You could change the wording to clarify.

Because, if somebody was such an oddball as to be obsessed about whether the number of stars in the Milky Way was an even or an odd number... then I think s/he needs mental health counseling.

[Sapphocrat]

22. LOL @ your last sentence -- that was my thought, too. n/t

[SoCalDem]

27. Mr. Monk wrote that scenario

:rofl:

[FedUpWithIt All]

10. Done.

Welcome to DU

:hi:

[Warpy]

11. Yeah, about what I expected

"Your responses indicate that you think that beliefs that one person holds are only occasionally a matter of concern for others. Though people should mostly be allowed to believe whatever they want, there are times when one belief is actually better than others."

In other words, good people can believe a whole lot of stuff I think is really, really stupid, but that's their problem. I'm usually not rude enough to giggle at them unless they're ranting stuff off their AM radios.

[hlthe2b]

13. You and I came back the same...

Tolerant and believe most of these issues really don't matter. I do expect a physician to be trained and accepting of scientific method and evolution, but otherwise, I can't say I really care what others believe as long as they don't force it on others.

[Warpy]

15. Well, I wanted the real idiots out of medicine, government and teaching

but most of the beliefs were harmless enough that it really didn't make a difference.

[blondeatlast]

20. My response was virtually the same. nt

[handmade34]

12. done

I guess I'm pretty tolerant of others beliefs

[gateley]

14. That was interesting. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[salvorhardin]

16. Doesn't your Story Background section bias the responses?

All of the people in these stories are well educated adult Americans, who went to good colleges and work at professional jobs.

People tend to judge other socioeconomic classes differently from their own. By specifying well-educated adult professionals, you might be biasing your respondents to think more or less favorably of the people portrayed in the stories than they would independent of the information presented in the stories.

[Sapphocrat]

21. Good point.

Although any benefit of the doubt I gave the Story Background flew right out the window when I got to Mister "I Don't Believe A Person Needs Food to Survive," who wouldn't have lived long enough to get through college. LOL

Kinda interesting, 'though.

To the OP: Is there a reason the "close personal friend" question was duplicated in every single scenario? I could see it as a sort of "check" if it were worded differently, and buried under more questions.

Sorry, I'm such a critic.

Oh, and I got:

"Your responses indicate that you think that beliefs are often a matter of concern for others. People really ought to believe certain things and not others, especially on some topics."

Not true; I answered (quite honestly) that I "strongly agree" everyone should be able to believe whatever they want about absolutely anything, from dogs-v-cats to slavery. I just wouldn't want a slavery advocate running my country or teaching his beliefs in school. Ditto something as relatively innocuous as not believing in Mozart (which makes me wonder how good a college education that guy got) -- believe whatever you want, but don't let such an idiot anywhere near a classroom.

So, it's dead wrong that I "think that beliefs are often a matter of concern for others." I just don't want to associate with anyone, say, completely close-minded to evolution (which would indicate to me that s/he's an "intelligent design" young-earther) -- and I certainly wouldn't want such a person teaching such things in school. Ditto the embryo question; I don't care what anyone thinks, but heaven forbid a teacher be allowed to state embryo "rights" as fact.

So, big difference between that and anyone's beliefs being "a matter of concern for others." They become "a matter of concern" only when they're forced on me -- or on children who haven't developed a full sense of discrimination between logic and lunacy).

As for "People really ought to believe certain things and not others, especially on some topics" -- uh, yeah, when it comes to issues like slavery, and yep, I believe anyone who would believe slavery is a good thing needs to be convinced otherwise (and that his belief may one day make him do things with very bad consequences).

[Quantess]

23. That was just a funny questionnaire, overall.

I'm so glad I took the quiz before giving it a Rec, because I don't think it deserves a recommendation, honestly. I went to Marquette University in WI, and I created a questionnaire as part of my Masters level Evaluation and Research class. I got an A, but... this one needs work.

[Quantess]

25. I got the same score:

Your responses indicate that you think that beliefs are often a matter of concern for others. People really ought to believe certain things and not others, especially on some topics.

Good grief, if those are the canned answers, that's a pretty lame scientific study!
Does this mean that taking a Cospomopolitan Quiz about how slutty you are in comparison to your girlfriends is about as definitive as this poll?

Edited to remove smilie

[hfojvt]

41. I think I voted against all of them being taught in school

not that it matters, but I really don't want somebody teaching that the Milky Way has an even number of stars in it or that cats make better pets than dogs. I was judged as "more tolerant than most". I sorta tolerated them all, except the slavery one, and even there I voted against shame and ridicule, because I don't think those are effective strategies at getting people to change their minds. Plus, I figure that people cannot help what they are taught.

[salvorhardin]

42. Believe it or not, I know someone who is a Breatharian

She doesn't think she needs to eat in order to live. Of course, she believes a great many things such as that she's a 1,500 year old alien princess with superpowers sent to Earth to prepare us to join the galactic union.

Now, you might think her insane, but she's very well educated and is pursuing a PhD in one of the hard sciences. She's a perfectly normal, lovely young woman with no problem functioning in her day to day life and good social skills... who just happens to have a good many beliefs that totally contradict reality.

I honestly don't know how she reconciles her field of study with her extraordinary beliefs.

[jobycom]

18. Fascinating questions. Good luck with it. nt

[ibegurpard]

19. depends on the belief

[flyarm]

24. darn ..it is hanging up on me!! I keep trying to do the reponses but it won't work!

I tried..

[flyarm]

28. ok i finally got it to work! interesting!

[SoCalDem]

26. that was interesting

Thank you for participating!

Your responses indicate that you think that beliefs that one person holds are only occasionally a matter of concern for others. Though people should mostly be allowed to believe whatever they want, there are times when one belief is actually better than others.

This study is not meant to judge one approach to beliefs as better than others, and this study is not a diagnostic test. Rather, we are simply trying to identify the range that people express for how important it is that people hold the right beliefs. We expect to find a great range for attitudes towards beliefs between different people, different groups, and different cultures.
For more information on beliefs and moral psychology, please look at the following pages:

[struggle4progress]

30. I was shocked and horrified by your propaganda about the Milky Way!

I really do hope it does not mislead too many innocent people! :D

[Zhade]

31. Of the beliefs themselves? There is no such requirement.

Now, we are expected in civil society to tolerate and respect their RIGHT to hold whatever beliefs they wish. But there is no concurrent expectation (or at least, logically there shouldn't be) to tolerate any belief, period.

[Contrary1]

34. Interesting...

"Your responses indicate that you think that beliefs are a matter of personal concern, and that each person ought to be able to believe whatever they want. You may think that one set of beliefs is not necessarily better than any other. You are more accepting of differing beliefs than most respondents."

[lovemydog]

35. Welcome to DU

That was interesting.

The result for me is: 'Your responses indicate that you think that beliefs that one person holds are only occasionally a matter of concern for others. Though people should mostly be allowed to believe whatever they want, there are times when one belief is actually better than others.'

Good luck in your studies. I'd love to hear the results and anything else you can share about the study.

I'd also love to know how right wing folks generally fare.

[cherokeeprogressive]

36. AS TOLERANT AS WE WOULD WANT OTHERS TO BE OF OURS. Nuff said? n/t

[hfojvt]

37. Maybe there should be one more question in the survey.

Tammy believes that people should be tolerant of other people's beliefs.

Sue believes that is absolutely wrong ...

[DFLforever]

38. This fits me well:

"Your responses indicate that you think that beliefs that one person holds are only occasionally a matter of concern for others. Though people should mostly be allowed to believe whatever they want, there are times when one belief is actually better than others."

Interesting project. Thanks for putting it on DU. I would be interested in seeing your total results when complete.

[EFerrari]

39. Hi there, gscraig. It keeps timing out.

Maybe you're just getting a lot of responses right now?