Terzi 1

Danis Terzi
Kevin Decker
Philosophy
October 13, 2014
Argumentative Dialogue
Power Raising Beliefs
Clifford: It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone to believe anything upon insufficient
evidence.
Michael: Now, is it? What about beliefs that I can do it!, Well win this!, etc.? People in
thousands of wars won just because of that simple belief. A belief that was given to them by their
commanders or that they used to inspire themselves.
Clifford: Give me any example and I will show where you are wrong.
Michael: What would happen to America if the colonies would look at the evidence which
showed that they will fight versus a stronger fleet in the world at that time? However, most of
our fathers believed in the United States of America blindly, they believed that they will win
having almost no evidence or sureness. They rejected any doubts. That belief drove them, ruled
their lives, inspired them to heroic moves, and they did win the war.
Clifford: You can compare that to a ship owner. He believed that his ship was ok and everything
will be fine. What would happen if it was actually this way? His belief came true, but does that
make him right in his beliefs? - Not at all.

Terzi 2
Michael: So, you are saying that even though our fathers died with that belief and made our
current life the way it is, they were still wrong? Wrong belief, that just happened to cause a good
conclusion.
Clifford: Look at it this way: if they would lose the war, what would you think about peoples
assumption that they can and will win the war? That it still was inspiration and it was right? No,
most people would probably say that it gave false hope. It made people blind and because of it
thousands of good people died. That belief had no good evidence to it, while having many
counter-facts.
Michael: So, instead of believing that they will win and have a bright future, they should have
believed that they will lose. And with that, at least right, belief (and based on a lot of evidence) in
their minds they should of fought. Would that help? Without beliefs in themselves many
achievements of famous people would have been gone.
Clifford: So, what you are saying now, is that the ship owners belief in his ship was right, just
happened to have a bad conclusion?
Michael: No. The ship owner didnt believe in his ship, he believed that everything will be fine.
If he would believe in his ship, he would fix it to lust after the belief, make it stronger. There
are beliefs that inspire or make you do or try something good, heroic, right and there are other
ones: who make you put your hands down, not worry, ignore, surrender. They both can have no
evidence to themselves. But, are they both wrong just because of having no evidence?