We hear all the time about belief, beliefs, believers and so on. But what does it mean when we say we believe in something? I can tell you all the things I believe in but what does that tell you anything about me? Are beliefs just that or do they mean something? My beliefs are of value to you only if they affect what I do. The same is true for everyone. When we deal with one another we need some sense of how the other person will react to assorted situations. Beliefs which mean something will help determine future behaviour and if stated publicly will help others to respond. Beliefs which do not affect future actions and behaviours are in essence meaningless. A person can bang on forever about what they believe but if it has no effect on their actions it is of no value. How would we recognise a real meaningful belief?
Try this: I believe that the principles of aerodynamics are true and useful. How do you know? I am willing to sit in an aircraft at the end of the runway and go hurtling down to certain death if my belief is false! That is a genuine belief.
Try it out. What do you think you believe? Would you willingly put yourself in a position of possible real harm if it turned out that your belief was false?
Most practical beliefs will pass the test. Most beliefs that involve supernatural elements will fail. People regularly tell us they believe in this and that supernatural phenomenon but these beliefs are for all practical purposes useless. They do not help us understand and thus predict how that person will act in a given situation.
