The semantics of belief

[petrushka.googol]

We have different types of belief systems.

 

For example, in politics we have capitalism and communism.

 

In religion we have christianity, judaism, buddhism, hinduism, taoism etc?

 

If we take the case of say, Marxism (founded by Marx and Engels), how we do we understand that even several years after their demise their philosophy was lapped up by the masses.

 

If we consider a person in the present, how do we explain that if I am a Marxist (hypothetically) , adhere to a belief system that tests the collective intellect, (or abuse) of the same, by people who lived in a different time and age.

 

How do ideas and belief systems propagate without distortion?

 

Please express your ideas.

Edited November 18, 2013 by petrushka.googol

[tar]

petrushka.googol,

 

Well, I think it has to do primarily with how language works. Then there are stories. Then there is printing. Now there is internet.

 

If you want to better understand, for instance, what Kant thought, you can go to the library or book store, or find the book online and download it to a reader.

 

Same with technical or scientific information. You can follow someone elses experience, relate it to your own, and hold to the "truth" you see, that they saw.

 

Without distortion though, is probably not the best description of how ideas get passed along. Unworkable ideas, tend to get repaired over time. The story takes on new facets as weaknesses in the story get revealed, and replaced with stronger peices, or at least with peices that better fit the knowledge and condition of the current teller of the story.

 

So what is language to begin with? A bunch of symbols that represent stuff in the real world, so we can talk to ourselves about the world, and talk to each other about it as well. We might each have our own dream language, with which we speak to ourselves in our sleep, but we have picked up on the societal, outwardly expressible languanges of those around us, that we use everyday to understand the intent of others and to express our own intent, to the world. And of course to question and answer and allign our own thinking with those around us. With the world around us.

 

Then there are story tellers, that traveled from encampment or town to encampment or town, and brought news and stories from far away places, sharing the experiences and thoughts of diverse persons to the consciousness of others. And spinning tales. Sometimes exagerated, but usually with some grain of understandable truth, that could be applied to local reality.

 

You will notice though, that people have different languages, and like to keep it that way, for communicating with their family and friends and local communities. Similarly people go by different stories, and teach their children, and those around them, workable lessons based upon them, and act in workable ways, that tend toward maintanence of the ideas behind the stories.

 

And hence, probably with the internet, we are collectively working on a workable merger of quite disparate stories. Looking for the threads of reality and truth, with which to sculpt our next actions, and with which to teach our children how to act. And with which to judge our own behavior and intents, and the behaviour and intents of those around us.

 

Regards, TAR2

P.S. Important to note, that Kant wrote in German. Someone reading his thoughts in German, will have a clearer understanding of his thoughts than someone reading a slightly distorted translation.

Edited November 18, 2013 by tar