Now, Kalamas, don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness’ — then you should enter & remain in them.
Not exactly a rationality quote, is it? Here is another famous misquote of the same passage.
I interpreted it to mean not to believe information simply because you hold the source of the information in high regard. It is very possible to change your mind and keep within your own reason and common sense.
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and common sense.
-Buddha
This is the first time I’ve been prompted to advocate the merit of this related quote.
Isn’t that, pretty much, a classic description of confirmation bias?
That one’s a misquote. The original is:
Not exactly a rationality quote, is it? Here is another famous misquote of the same passage.
I think it is, and it has been so regarded on LessWrong several times already, first here.
You mean never really change your mind? Sounds kinda dumb...
If the last half had said “own reason or common sense” all would be fine, I think.
I interpreted it to mean not to believe information simply because you hold the source of the information in high regard. It is very possible to change your mind and keep within your own reason and common sense.