Date:
Tuesday, February 23, 2016 - 5:30pm to 7:00pm
Some beliefs are not just false but profoundly misguided. They are based on a fundamentally flawed view of the world and have no basis in reality. Given the complex factors that underpin the formation and maintenance of such wayward beliefs, what are the prospects of persuading wayward believers to think differently? In this talk I will examine the nature and limits of persuasion in such cases. I will suggest that the challenge is to change what people think by changing how they think. Wayward believers need to unlearn established patterns of thought and epistemic conduct. I will develop an account of unlearning and explore the role of persuasion in unlearning.