--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We hold many dubious beliefs, in other…" description: "\"“We hold many dubious beliefs, in other words, not because they satisfy some important psychological need, but because they seem to be the most sensibl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/thomas-gilovich-10928_faith_we-hold-many-dubious-beliefs-in-other-wo_2250586.jpg" --- # We hold many dubious beliefs, in other words, not because… ![“We hold many dubious beliefs, in other words, not because they satisfy some important psychological need, but because they seem to be the most sensible conclusions consistent with the available evidence. People hold such beliefs because they seem, in the words of Robert Merton, to be the…” quote by Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/thomas-gilovich-10928_faith_we-hold-many-dubious-beliefs-in-other-wo_2250586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/thomas-gilovich-10928_faith_we-hold-many-dubious-beliefs-in-other-wo_2250586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/thomas-gilovich-10928_faith_we-hold-many-dubious-beliefs-in-other-wo_2250586.jpg) > ““We hold many dubious beliefs, in other words, not because they satisfy some important psychological need, but because they seem to be the most sensible conclusions consistent with the available evidence. People hold such beliefs because they seem, in the words of Robert Merton, to be the “irresistible products of their own experience.”7 They are the products, not of irrationality, but of flawed rationality.”” [Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gilovich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People adopt beliefs that appear logical given their experiences, even if those beliefs are based on flawed reasoning. **In simple terms:** We trust ideas that fit our experience, even if flawed. Key Takeaway Question the logical basis of your convictions. Themes cognitive bias psychology epistemology Mood skeptical analytical Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - critical thinking workshops - media literacy - decision making Key Concepts confirmation bias heuristics belief formation Questions to Reflect On - Why do we cling to comfortable but inaccurate beliefs? - How can we improve rational evaluation? A Different Perspective Beliefs may persist despite contradictory evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dubious Beliefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dubious-beliefs-5138589/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Hold Beliefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold-beliefs-327411/) [Irrationality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrationality/) [Irrationality Flawed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrationality-flawed-5138590/) [Products Irrationality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/products-irrationality-5138591/) ## Related quotes > [“We should be agnostic about those things for which there is no evidence. We should not hold beliefs merely because they gratify our desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-should-be-agnostic-about-those-things-for-which-there-is-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never stop paying attention to things. Never make your mind up finally. Do not hold beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt-2/never-stop-paying-attention-to-things-never-make-your-mind-up-finally/) [A. S. Byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt-2/) > [The world does not speak. Only we do. 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In particular, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/a-democratic-state-will-protect-the-freedom-to-hold-any-beliefs-other/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [Most true believers, when faced with evidence that contradicts their beliefs, will hold on to those beliefs even more strongly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/most-true-believers-when-faced-with-evidence-that-contradicts-their/) [Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/) > [The basic fault lines today are not between people with different beliefs but between people who hold these beliefs with an element of uncertainty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-l-berger/the-basic-fault-lines-today-are-not-between-people-with-different/) [Peter L. Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-l-berger/) > [“At this point I reveal myself in my true colours, as a stick-in-the-mud. 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It is no longer sufficient to hold beliefs just because you inherited them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/believers-should-acknowledge-and-wrestle-with-doubts-it-is-no-longer/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“If I were to give any religious person advice, it would be to not hold their beliefs above others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-culliton-why-i-love-my-prozac/if-i-were-to-give-any-religious-person-advice-it-would-be-to-not-hold/) [Travis Culliton - "Why I love my Prozac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-culliton-why-i-love-my-prozac/) ## More by Thomas Gilovich > [“Chapter 7 takes a psychological truism, “we tend to believe what we think others believe” and turns it around: We tend to think others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gilovich/chapter-7-takes-a-psychological-truism-we-tend-to-believe-what-we/) [Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gilovich/) > [“As part of this research, one group of participants was asked which two countries are more similar to one another, East Germany and West…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gilovich/as-part-of-this-research-one-group-of-participants-was-asked-which/) [Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gilovich/) > [“Finally, it has been shown that the tendency for people to think of themselves as above average is reduced—even for ambiguous traits—when people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gilovich/finally-it-has-been-shown-that-the-tendency-for-people-to-think-of/) [Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gilovich/) > [“It appears that the probabilistic sciences of psychology and medicine teach their students to apply statistical and methodological rules to both scientific and everyday-life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gilovich/it-appears-that-the-probabilistic-sciences-of-psychology-and-medicine/) [Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gilovich/) > [“To live, it seems, is to explain, to justify, and to find coherence among diverse outcomes, characteristics, and causes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gilovich/to-live-it-seems-is-to-explain-to-justify-and-to-find-coherence-among/) [Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gilovich/) > [“social psychologist Ziva Kunda, who argues that people are indeed more likely to believe things they want to believe, but that their capacity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gilovich/social-psychologist-ziva-kunda-who-argues-that-people-are-indeed-more/) [Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gilovich/) > [We humans seem to be extremely good at generating ideas, theories, and explanations that have the ring of plausibility. 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We should become accustomed to asking ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gilovich/we-therefore-should-be-more-skeptical-than-we-seem-to-be-about/) [Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gilovich/) > [“In other words, when testing a hypothesis of similarity, people look for evidence of similarity rather than dissimilarity, and when testing a hypothesis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gilovich/in-other-words-when-testing-a-hypothesis-of-similarity-people-look/) [Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gilovich/) > [What we believe is heavily influenced by what we think others believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gilovich/what-we-believe-is-heavily-influenced-by-what-we-think-others-believe/) [Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gilovich/) > [“develop the habit of employing one of several “consider the opposite” strategies. 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When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) [Matt Morris (1](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-morris-1/) > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. 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