Perceiving and Believing 6th Session

What are Beliefs? What are the categories that defines

beliefs? Types of Beliefs

Course Facilitator: Ms. Qazi Safia Hussain

What are Beliefs?Beliefs are the main tools you use to make sense of the world & guide your actions.

Beliefs represent an Interpretation, Evaluation, Conclusion or Prediction about

the nature of the world.

Categories that defines Beliefs

Interpretation: An explanation or analysis of the meaning or significance of something

Evaluation: A judgment of the value or quality of something, based on certain standards.

Conclusion: A decision made or an opinion formed after consideration of facts and evidences.

Prediction: A statement about what will happen in Future

Lets take a look at some examples!

I believe that in that book, the whale actually symbolizes a primal natural force that men are trying to destroy. (Interpretation)

I believe that watching reality shows is unhealthy because they focus almost on the lest attractive qualities of People. (Evaluation)

I believe that one of the main reasons two out of three people in the world go to bed hungry each night is that industrially strong nations have not done a satisfactory job. (Conclusion)

If drastic environmental measures are not undertaken to slow the global warming trend, then I believe that the polar ice caps will melt and the earth will be flooded. (Prediction)

Types of Beliefs

Let us learn about three basic types of beliefs you use to make sense of the world. Reports Inferences Judgments

These beliefs are expressed in both your thinking and your use of language, as illustrated in the following sentences.

My Bus was late today (Type of belief = Reporting)My Bus will probably be late tomorrow (Type of belief = Inferring)The bus system is unreliable (type of belief = Judging)

Try some activity to learn more

1. Each modern atomic warhead has over 100 times the explosives power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

Type of Belief?

2. With all of the billions of planets in the universe, the odds are that they are other form of life in the cosmos.

Type of belief?

3. In the long run the energy needs of the world will best be met by solar energy technology rather then nuclear engery or fossil fuels.

Type of belief?

Types of Beliefs Reporting

Reporting factual information describes the world in ways that can be verified through investigation.

Inferring Describing the world in ways that are based on

factual information yet going beyond this information to take statements about what is not currently known.

Judging Describing the world in ways that express an

evaluation based on certain criteria.