Critiquing: Should Feelings Have Any Epistemological Weight in Our Decision Making?

December 28, 2023 | #STRask – Stand to Reason

Decision-making—Epistemological weight—Feelings in decision-making—Divine guidance—Rationality in choices

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Introduction

The content discusses whether feelings should have epistemological weight in decision-making, particularly in religious contexts. The discussion revolves around interpreting specific passages from the book of Acts in light of the views on being led by the Spirit. The following critique examines logical coherence, identifies logical inconsistencies, and highlights cognitive biases and unsubstantiated claims.

Logical Inconsistencies

1. Inconsistent View on Subconscious Signals

The content suggests that subconscious signals should not be over-spiritualized:

“I wouldn’t assign any, in a sense, divine authority to that or divine significance… don’t read into it some kind of subtle message from God.”

However, it also recommends paying attention to these signals:

“I think that’s a good reason to pause because it may be subconsciously you’re picking up something.”

This duality creates an inconsistency in how subconscious feelings should be treated, oscillating between dismissing and valuing them.

2. Ambiguity in Decision-Making Guidance

There is ambiguity in whether feelings should be completely disregarded or considered under certain conditions:

“If there’s something that bothers you about the decision, try to figure out what it is, but don’t over-spiritualize it.”

This leads to a lack of clear guidance on how to practically incorporate feelings into decision-making without over-spiritualizing them.

3. Unclear Distinction Between Divine and Human Influence

The content acknowledges both divine intervention and human subconscious influence but struggles to clearly distinguish between them:

“And if you can’t avoid that feeling that this isn’t right, it might be a good time just to put that entire project on hold.”

Cognitive Biases

1. Confirmation Bias

The speakers exhibit confirmation bias by interpreting positive outcomes as validation of their views:

“I felt, look, I’ve got a lot of good reasons to do what I’m doing. They’re personal reasons and they’re spiritual reasons.”

This bias can lead to selectively remembering instances where feelings aligned with successful outcomes while ignoring counterexamples.

2. Attribution Bias

There is a tendency to attribute ambiguous feelings to divine guidance without sufficient evidence:

“Sometimes it’s the demand of doing the right thing to do the right thing here. Like, that’s, wow, that’s really inconvenient.”

Unsubstantiated and Dubious Claims

Several claims are made without sufficient substantiation, such as the notion that subconscious feelings may be divine signals. The obligation to substantiate these claims is crucial, especially when they form the basis of significant decisions.

1. Lack of Evidence for Divine Signals

The content frequently references feelings as potential signals from God but fails to provide empirical evidence:

“They think it’s a spiritual awareness that God has given me that something’s not right about this.”

2. Vague References to Subconscious Cues

The suggestion that subconscious cues might indicate important information is not backed by clear evidence:

“It may be subconsciously you’re picking up something, you’re aware of something that doesn’t sit right.”

Testing Alleged Promises

To evaluate the claims about divine guidance, one could propose systematic methods to test these promises. For example, conducting a study where individuals follow their feelings in decision-making and documenting the outcomes objectively could provide data on the efficacy of this approach.

Mapping Belief to Evidence

A critical aspect of rational decision-making is aligning one’s degree of belief with the available evidence. The content falls short in this regard by advocating for the epistemological weight of feelings without robust evidence. Ensuring that beliefs are proportionate to the evidence helps in making more reliable and rational decisions.

Conclusion

The content presents a mixed message on the role of feelings in decision-making, leading to logical inconsistencies and potential cognitive biases. While acknowledging the need for careful consideration, it often veers into attributing undue significance to feelings without sufficient evidence. A more rigorous approach, emphasizing substantiation and the mapping of beliefs to evidence, is essential for coherent and rational decision-making.

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I invite you to discuss these arguments further in the comments section.