As I begin, it occurs to me that no one has ever asked me to define the term belief. However, if I had to define it, I probably would have said an idea that I keep in my mind about my thoughts and feelings on a given topic. In [[Liminal Thinking]], [[Dave Gray]] defines it this way: > [!quote] > A beleif is something you hold in your mind a kind of map or model of [the] externtal reality. In either case, it's important to distinguish our beliefs from reality. This is because reality is a matter of perspective. We all see the world through different lenses. In [[Liminal Thinking]], this is illustrated in the story of The Blind Men and the Elephant. Dave shares: > [!quote] > A king calls for the blind men of the capital to be brought to his palace. He has an elephant brought in and asks the men to describe it. The king asks the blind men, “Can you tell me, what sort of thing is an elephant?” One man, who felt the elephant’s head, says it is like a large pot. Another, who felt the tail, says it is like a rope. Another, who felt the ear, says it is like a hand fan. Another, who felt the side, says it is like a wall. More blind men are called, and they say that it is like a pillar, a pipe, and so on. Each describes a different part of the elephant based on his personal experience. The blind men begin to argue and come to blows, each asserting that he is right and the others are wrong. I think this is a remarkable and illistrative story. We can all conjure some image of an elephant. However, even if you had never heard of or seen an elephant, your mind would immediately start turning if someone asked you to describe the object. Even listening to the story of the blind men, the images are abstract. One man describes the elephant as a "pillar". Based on this information and the other information I "know" about elephants, I *believe* the man was feeling an elephant leg. While I believe it, I can't say this is a fact. When forming beliefs, it's important to know that they are not facts, and are really only a matter of perspective. They are an observation in a given time and place. As we get more exposure, our beliefs tend to grow more firm. However, they are still just our personal perspective. ![[CleanShot 2024-09-24 at [email protected]]]