h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"Belief, doubt, faith, knowledge and certainty"

Is that the topic I'm supposed to be writing about? So far I've just rambled on about belief in general. I mentioned belief and faith, but I don't think I've covered doubt knowledge or certainty, except maybe indirectly.

Do you want me to try to extend it?

Pattern-chaser

"Who cares, wins"

Hi, PC.
When I first suggested this as a topic I had in mind the rather general thought that all these things are judgements about the status of our, and others, representations as actual, probable, possible, explanatory, implicit or explicit etc; also that they are not used consistently (or are at least used to mean more than one thing), and often overlap, and that therefore we needed to delineate what use of belief and allied terms was being discussed by the project in general.
That shouldn't be taken as prescriptive, of course, it's just what struck me on first reading Ben's evolution of belief peice.

Hope it provides some food for thought anyway.


Noggin

Pattern-Chaser - do you *want* to extend it?

Hey, I am just making this up as we go along!

I had a convo with Noggin somewhere, and vaguely remembered discussing defining those words.

Long and short? I like the clarity of your piece, and think that it would help to extend it to include the other concepts. But don't mind me, I am only the (un)hired help

Less flippantly - truly - don't mind me. I have set some scope boundaries to the project - namely 'don't tread on anyone's toes' - because of the potential the project has for flame wars. But other than that I just see myself as the janitor to a place where people can write their own things.

Noggin - I think your take and your style is more academic than Pattern-Chasers, and I think that the project needs both tones of voice. Please exercise your free will and good judgement, and do what seems good to you.

Both - my approach is to hire skilled and compentent people and let them do what they are good at. If I see a need to step in and give guidance or direction I will. But so far as I am concerned, as it stands at the moment, I think you are both doing what you do very well indeed.

If you have any questions, just whistle.

B

Jeezus, that was patronising!



B

Hi Noggin!

<...all these things are judgements about the status of our, and others, representations as actual, probable, possible, explanatory, implicit or explicit...>

Hmmm. You'll forgive me if I'm unable to follow that, I hope?

<...they are not used consistently (or are at least used to mean more than one thing), and often overlap, and that [we need to define the terms we use]>

Yes, I agree. You may wish to scrutinise the meanings I have given to the terms. They may not be in accord with your understanding, or with that of our readership. [Both of them. ]

Pattern-chaser

"Who cares, wins"