Belief System
A Belief System is a cognitive construct of mutually reinforcing beliefs that provide a framework for understanding and interacting with the world.
- Context:
- It can (typically) contain a Semantic System, informing its structural and conceptual foundation.
- It can (typically) shapes the way individuals or groups interpret and respond to experiences.
- It can (typically) process Information Input through belief filters and cognitive frameworks.
- It can (typically) maintain Internal Consistency through belief reconciliation and cognitive coherence.
- It can (typically) evolve through belief adaptation and learning processes.
- It can (often) influences behavior and decision-making.
- ...
- It can range from being a Formal Belief System to being an Informal Belief System.
- It can range from being an Agent's Belief System to being an Collective's Belief System.
- It can range from being a Simple Belief Network to being a Complex Belief Network, depending on its structural complexity.
- It can range from being a Static Belief Framework to being a Dynamic Belief Framework, depending on its adaptation capability.
- It can range from being a Concrete Belief Structure to being an Abstract Belief Structure, depending on its conceptual level.
- It can range from being a Benevolent Belief System to being a Malevolent Belief System, depending on its impact on others.
- It can range from being an Inclusive Belief System to being a Discriminatory Belief System, depending on its treatment of different groups.
- It can range from being an Equality-Promoting Belief System to being a Hierarchy-Enforcing Belief System, depending on its power distribution views.
- ...
- It can integrate with Knowledge Systems for belief validation.
- It can connect to Memory Systems for belief persistence.
- It can interface with Learning Systems for belief adaptation.
- It can link to Decision Systems for belief-based action.
- It can be influenced and shaped by cultural tradition, and personal experience.
- …
- Examples:
- Fundamental Belief Systems (to provide basic understanding), such as:
- Epistemological Belief Systems (to understand reality), such as:
- Knowledge Belief Constructs (to process information), such as:
- Truth Belief Constructs like:
- Scientific Method Belief Construct valuing empirical evidence.
- Rational Inquiry Belief Construct prioritizing logical analysis.
- Intuitive Knowledge Belief Construct trusting inner wisdom.
- Reality Belief Constructs like:
- Natural Law Belief Construct regarding universal principles.
- Causality Belief Construct about cause and effect relations.
- Perception Belief Construct concerning nature of experience.
- Truth Belief Constructs like:
- Knowledge Belief Constructs (to process information), such as:
- Reality Understanding Belief Systems, such as:
- Identity Belief Systems, such as:
- Epistemological Belief Systems (to understand reality), such as:
- Personal and Individual Belief Systems, such as:
- Personal Belief Systems (to maintain individual identity), such as:
- Core Value Belief Systems (to guide personal behavior), such as:
- Moral Belief Constructs like:
- Self-Concept Belief Systems like:
- Existential Belief Systems (to provide life meaning), such as:
- Purpose Belief Systems like:
- Spiritual Belief Systems like:
- Core Value Belief Systems (to guide personal behavior), such as:
- Personal Belief Systems (to maintain individual identity), such as:
- Social and Cultural Belief Systems, such as:
- Social Belief Systems (to navigate group dynamics), such as:
- Cultural Belief Systems (to maintain social cohesion), such as:
- Tradition Belief Systems like:
- Identity Belief Systems like:
- Relationship Belief Systems (to guide interpersonal interactions), such as:
- Trust Belief Systems like:
- Connection Belief Systems like:
- Cultural Belief Systems (to maintain social cohesion), such as:
- Social Belief Systems (to navigate group dynamics), such as:
- Elevated-Significance Belief Systems, such as:
- Religious Belief Systems for organized religion, such as:
- Christian Belief System incorporating:
- Holy Trinity concept.
- Resurrection belief.
- Heaven and Hell existence.
- Buddhist Belief System incorporating:
- Four Noble Truths.
- Eightfold Path guidance.
- Christian Belief System incorporating:
- Philosophical Belief Systems, such as:
- Existentialist Belief System emphasizing:
- Absurdist Belief System exploring meaning in irrational universe.
- Religious Belief Systems for organized religion, such as:
- Institutional Belief Systems, such as:
- Educational Belief Systems, such as:
- Montessori Educational Belief System emphasizing:
- Political Belief Systems including:
- Democratic Belief System principles:
- Organizational Belief Systems including:
- Educational Belief Systems, such as:
- Artificial Agent Belief Systems, such as:
- AI Belief Systems, such as:
- Chess AI Belief System prioritizing:
- Formal Belief Systems, such as:
- AI Belief Systems, such as:
- ...
- Fundamental Belief Systems (to provide basic understanding), such as:
- Counter-Example(s):
- A Systematic Procedure for Acquiring Knowledge, such as Scientific Method proper.
- …
- See: Knowledge Base, Ontology, Knowledge Base, Semantic System, Natural Language Understanding System, Justified True Belief, Belief Construct.
References
2023
- (Wikipedia, 2023) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/belief#Belief_systems Retrieved:2023-5-30.
- A belief system comprises a set of mutually supportive beliefs. The beliefs of any such system can be religious, philosophical, political, ideological, or a combination of these. “A system is an interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a way that achieves something." —Donella Meadows (2008) Thinking in Systems: A Primer p.11, as quoted by Tim Rettig (2017) Belief Systems: what they are and how they affect you
2018
- (d'Aspremont, 2018) ⇒ Jean d'Aspremont. (2018). “International Law As a Belief System.” Vol. 133. Cambridge University Press,
- QUOTE: ... According to the understanding informing the expository framework developed in this book, a belief system is a set of mutually reinforcing beliefs prevalent in a community or society that is not necessarily formalized. ...
2014
2013
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belief_system
- A belief system is a set of mutually supportive beliefs. The beliefs of any such system can be classified as religious, philosophical, ideological or a combination of these. Philosopher Jonathan Glover says that beliefs are always a part of a belief system, and that belief systems are difficult to completely revise.
2012
- (Mitchell, 2012) ⇒ Tom Mitchell. “Never Ending Language Learning." Invited Talk at NAACL Workshop on Knowledge Extraction.
- Tenet 1: Understanding requires a belief system.
2005
- http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/epistemology/
- QUOTE: We call this kind of basicality ‘doxastic’ because it makes basicality a function of how your doxastic system (your belief system) is structured. …
… Finally, foundationalism can be supported by advancing objections to coherentism. One prominent objection is that coherentism somehow fails to ensure that a justified belief system is in contact with reality. This objection derives its force from the fact that fiction can be perfectly coherent. Why think, therefore, that a belief system's coherence is a reason for thinking that the belief in that system tend to be true? Coherentists could respond to this objection by saying that, if a belief system contains beliefs such as "Many of my beliefs have their origin in perceptual experiences" and "My perceptual experiences are reliable", it is reasonable for the subject to think that her belief system brings her into contact with external reality.
- QUOTE: We call this kind of basicality ‘doxastic’ because it makes basicality a function of how your doxastic system (your belief system) is structured. …