Making beliefs pay rent (in anticipated experiences)

Abstract

This article argues that beliefs should be judged based on their ability to predict sensory experiences. The author contends that beliefs that do not generate specific predictions about future sensory experiences are “floating beliefs” that are not connected to reality and can lead to irrationality. The author argues that a belief’s predictive power is the ultimate measure of its value and suggests that beliefs that fail to pay rent in anticipated experiences should be discarded. – AI-generated abstract.