Strong stances

Abstract

This article argues that having strong beliefs can be problematic as it can lead to dishonesty and disengagement from reality. The author proposes an alternative approach called ‘stances’ that can offer similar benefits to having strong beliefs while avoiding the pitfalls. Stances are essentially policy choices on what to treat as true, acting as a bridge between uncertain beliefs and actions. The author contends that stances can be held with confidence because they are chosen rather than inferred from epistemic situations, allowing individuals to act decisively without being burdened by uncertainty. – AI-generated abstract.