Chapter 1: The Foundations of Belief

Consider the myriad beliefs you hold. Would they remain unchanged if you understood their origins? If you could trace the development of these ideas through time, would you still endorse them, or feel they require reevaluation? These inquiries align with what philosophers refer to as achieving “reflective equilibrium.” I wasn't aware of this term during my teenage years, but I instinctively felt that it was essential to navigate the diverse ideologies competing for my attention. This was in the 1990s, prior to the onset of the Information Age.

Growing up, I was immersed in my family's Catholic traditions, attending private school and Mass every Sunday. However, my parents also encouraged my curiosity, which led me to explore a range of interests. My fascination with subjects like paleontology, astronomy, and anthropology often had them finding me glued to documentaries on Saturday mornings instead of cartoons. Alongside these scientific pursuits, I was captivated by mythology, folklore, and modern myths often categorized as “pseudoscience,” such as UFOs and the Loch Ness monster.

These diverse interests imparted two significant lessons. First, they illuminated the various methods people employ to form their beliefs, some of which are more reliable than others. Second, and more crucially, I discovered a universality in beliefs derived from both scientific and non-scientific approaches, albeit expressed in different ways.

The universality found in scientific understanding is attributed to how natural phenomena draw different minds toward similar conclusions. This type of idea could be termed externally motivated or object-oriented. Essentially, certain consistent aspects of the natural world act as filters, sifting out erroneous beliefs and leading us to a more accurate understanding.

Conversely, the second form of universality emerges from minds with fundamentally similar structures, generating varying worldviews that nonetheless share common threads. This could be described as internally motivated or subject-oriented beliefs. Unlike the former, these ideas are shaped by the cognitive frameworks of human beings, rather than the external world.

It's crucial to acknowledge that neither form of universality holds superiority in an abstract sense; the value lies in the specific knowledge one seeks to attain.

One of the pivotal realizations I had in my adolescence was recognizing that my Catholic faith was merely one of many spiritual frameworks. Any truth it might possess stemmed from its resonance with facets of human existence mirrored by other religions, both historical and contemporary.

Though these insights are enlightening, many mistakenly assume that because a spiritual tradition provides insights into human nature, it can also unveil truths about the broader universe. Understanding the value of spiritual traditions elucidates why they lack authority over the physical world—something we would likely prefer.

Consider the counterintuitive principles that dominate scientific disciplines today; these theories and the technology validating them would have been unimaginable to our ancestors. Modern science constructs a model of reality based on matter, energy, and complex formulas, unbound by human intuition. It follows evidence wherever it may lead.

Conversely, our moral and existential considerations center around the individual human experience, which fundamentally shapes our values and interpersonal relations. However, these frameworks are incapable of deriving concepts like natural selection or quantum physics.

Upon grasping the relationship between my faith and other human traditions, my intrigue in mythology and anthropology deepened. Initially, my interest was purely academic, but I now sought a deeper understanding of why humans adopt specific beliefs—what makes certain myths resonate while others fade into obscurity.

For instance, scholars like Scott Atran, Pascal Boyer, and Brian Boyd discuss our “intuitive ontology,” which Boyer describes as “a set of principled expectations and inferential dispositions concerning various aspects of experience.” While each mythological tradition is unique, they all tap into our intuitive ontology, favoring narratives like those of talking animals over inanimate objects, simply because animals share more relatable traits with humans.

This reflection brings me back to my initial question: If we traced the genealogy of our beliefs, how many would stem from reliable processes, and how many would merely reflect the contingent nature of human thought and cultural development?

Personally, as I pursued this exercise in harmonizing my beliefs, I realized I could no longer accept the concept of the supernatural as commonly perceived. If it exists as an object of perception, it is, by definition, part of nature.

Yet, this understanding is just the beginning. Human existence revolves not solely around comprehension of reality but also about envisioning potential futures and discerning which of those futures might be more favorable. I have come to believe that a coherent account of spirituality must be existential in nature.

Faith transcends mere belief in the unprovable; it embodies a commitment to values such as truth, justice, and love. These ideals, though intangible, guide us toward the future we aspire to create.

You may never witness this envisioned future, as it likely remains just out of reach. Hence, we refer to these values as “transcendent.” Nevertheless, they warrant your unwavering dedication.

Chapter 2: Insights from Game Theory

In the quest for understanding beliefs, the principles of game theory can provide valuable insights.

The first video, titled "5. Perfect Bayesian Equilibrium: Requirement 1 (Game Theory Playlist 10)," explores the foundational concepts of Bayesian Equilibrium and its implications for decision-making in uncertain environments.

As we delve further into this subject, it's crucial to examine how our beliefs can be influenced by factors beyond our immediate perception.

The second video, "Game Theory 101 (#80): Off-the-Path Beliefs," discusses how deviations from conventional beliefs can lead to unexpected outcomes, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking in belief formation.