This was only possible by inhibiting the doubting game: if we had started doubting we would have found so many holes or silly premises we would have abandoned it. Only by getting far enough into it could we get to the point where there was suf-ficient evidence and understanding to show that it was indeed true, and this was only possible by believing it.
The doubting game and believing game should go hand in hand
We try to put ourselves into the object as horse and as dog,
Believe all scenarios at first an then decide which one you believe more.
My goal is only to make the doubting game move over and grant a legitimacy to the believing game
To not completely get rid of the idea of the doubting game but to instead promote and encourage the believing game too
Perhaps even constructing such a person for yourself. Try to have the experience of someone who made this assertion.
Put yourself in the person who believes this certain assertions shoes
attrition
Reduction in strength
The huge numbers of people who are not members of that club—who started out, most of them, as children enjoy-ing the rule-governed process of trying to figure out the truth but somewhere in their lives (usually in school) grew sleepy or angry at the game—
As we grow up and get older we find it easier to seek out the errors in something than we do seeking the truth.
the doubting game he is being rig-orous, disciplined, rational, and tough-minded.
The doubting game is seen to suggest that you are more intellectually disciplined.
adversary
Conflict
ferreting
Seeking out weakness
assertions to battle each other and thus do some of the work:
Find the conflicts and errors that lie within the assertions
premises
Previous thoughts
assertion
Confident belief
You must hold off to one side the self, its wishes, preconceptions, experiences, and commitments
You must forget what you already know and what might sway your opinion.
self-evident
obvious
The doubting game seeks truth by indirection—by seeking error.
The doubting game seeks truth indirectly instead of looking first and foremost for the truth you seek first the errors.
that is, really followed the rules—and another hour or two in which they really played the doubting game well: that would be a revolution
Play both the doubting and the believing game.
deluding
Misleading
“I can’t believe that,” said Alice.“Can’t you?” the Queen said in a pitying tone. “Try again; draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.”Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said; “one can’t believe im-possible things.”“I dare say you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.
Nothing is impossible unless you say it is.
they assume they must be against intellectuality and rationality itself if they are against the doubting game.
They assume that in order to be intellectually sufficient that you must have a sense of doubt.
dissonance
clashing elements
extri-cate
To free
Doubting an assertion is the best way to find the error in it.
Doubting something is the best way to find something wrong with it.