I do not pretend that this is always the case with imaginative beliefs. Some of them have no great emotional content, but feel to the believer the sort of thing that one might expect. ... Aristotle believed that the bite of the shrew-mouse is dangerous to horses, especially if the mouse is pregnant. ... A considerable percentage of English people believe that the English are the Lost Ten Tribes. Instances of such beliefs could be multiplied indefinitely, but where they have no roots in some deep emotion, they are as a rule not socially important.
Source: Bertrand Russell: Human Society in Ethics and Politics, 1954, part II: The Conflict of Passions, chapter 4: Myth and Magic, n.4
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This is not necessarily a section worth quoting, but I found the following exchange with ChatGPT interesting, so I decided to document it:
Me:
You translated "imaginative beliefs" as "想像的な信念" (imaginative beliefs), but what types of beliefs are there besides "imaginative" ones? "Imaginative" is typically used to mean "creative" or "rich in imagination." Wouldn't "creative beliefs" sound odd? Doesn't the term carry some nuance of that kind?
ChatGPT:
That’s an insightful observation. When translating "imaginative beliefs" as "想像的な信念," it’s important to consider what kinds of beliefs are being referred to and to carefully unpack the specific nuance of "imaginative" in this context. Let’s first outline possible categories of beliefs that might contrast with "imaginative beliefs" and then delve into the nuance of "imaginative" in this context.
Types of Beliefs:
Beliefs (信念) can broadly be classified as follows:
Empirical Beliefs
Beliefs based on experience or observation. For example, "Fire is hot."
Logical Beliefs
Beliefs based on reasoning or logic. For instance, "All humans are mortal," which reflects universal truths.
Religious or Spiritual Beliefs
Beliefs rooted in religious or spiritual frameworks. For example, "God exists." Imaginative or Fanciful Beliefs
Beliefs formed through imagination, intuition, or cultural background. For example, "The phases of the moon affect the weather."
Nuance of "Imaginative"
"Imaginative" usually has a positive connotation, meaning "rich in imagination" or "creative." However, in this context, it seems to carry a slightly different nuance. Here’s how "imaginative beliefs" might be characterized in this passage:
Lack of Evidence:
These beliefs lack empirical or logical grounding and are formed instead through personal intuition, cultural traditions, misunderstandings, or imagination. For example, the belief about shrew-mouse bites lacks scientific basis.
Unrealistic or Eccentric Nature:
Beliefs such as "it is dangerous to leave the impression of your body on a bed" are peculiar or unrealistic from a modern rational perspective.
Cultural Influence and Apparent Naturalness:
The phrase "feel to the believer the sort of thing that one might expect" suggests that "imaginative" carries the nuance of "beliefs that, while imaginative in origin, feel entirely natural to the person holding them."
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