Why People Are Nuts (1)

In a poll, Michael Shermer asked people two questions: Why do you believe in God? & Why do other people believe in God? Those polled explained that they believed in God for logical reasons. There had to be a First Cause--something had created the universe. Then they explained that other people believed in God because it was comforting and customary. In other words, my beliefs are based on reason and yours are based on emotion. This is a persistent bias--I am a Progressive for logical reasons, and you are a Teabagger because you are an animal. (Hume pointed out that logic provides no motivation; what motivates us in every case is emotion.)