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FIELD PROBLEM Some people may believe certain statements so strongly that no evidence could possibly compel them to change their minds

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FIELD PROBLEM

Some people may believe certain statements so strongly that no evidence could possibly compel them to change their minds. Are you like that? Are any of your friends?

Assignment: Examine the following statements. Pick one that you strongly believe (or make up one of your own) and ask yourself: What evidence would persuade me to change my mind about the statement? If confronted with that evidence, would I really change my mind? Would I try to find an excuse to deny or ignore the evidence? Next, try this same test on a friend.

• Heaven—a transcendent or celestial place—does exist.

• Bill Clinton was a much better president than Ronald Reagan.

• Ronald Reagan was a much better president than Bill Clinton.

• Alien spacecraft have visited Earth.

• An all-powerful, all-knowing, all-good God exists.

• I have experienced an actual instance of ESP.

• Some people can predict the future.

 

1. In a Microsoft Word document,

· In addition, provide an example of a belief for which no evidence could compel a person to change their mind. In such a case, why is such a belief so personally compelling?

 

 

First issue: The field problem does not actually ask students to write anything, only to “ask themselves and a friend”:

"Examine the following statements. Pick one that you strongly believe (or make up one of your own) and ask yourself: What evidence would persuade me to change my mind about the statement? If confronted with that evidence, would I really change my mind? Would I try to find an excuse to deny or ignore the evidence? Next, try this same test on a friend.”

Although most students assume this is to be written, not all do. So to clarify, you will be writing about the questions the assignment asks you to ask yourself.

Second issue: Some students are not sure how they are to capture their conversation with a friend - is it a transcript of the conversation or just a summary?

To clarify, you do have to repeat the exercise with a friend, and you can choose a transcript or summary. If you choose a summary, please make sure it answers the same questions as the ones you asked yourself.

Third issue: The assignment also states: "In addition, provide an example of a belief for which no evidence could compel a person to change their mind. In such a case, why is such a belief so personally compelling?"

To clarify, if you cannot come up with a belief for which no mind-changing evidence is possible, you can just explain that, and explain why an example is not possible (perhaps considering some examples and rejecting them).