Beliefs should be like fluid entities within the mind, some malleable and doubtful, others more viscous and certain. But feeling certain should never be confused with being incontestable. Once a belief is allowed to solidify, it becomes like a shackle on the mind, inhibiting exploration, learning and growth. A fluid mind should never allow a belief to be so hardened that it is beyond rational scrutiny. A fluid mind always invites rational examination upon even its most cherished convictions.
“The only way we can have any hope of advancing toward the truth is to be continually dissatisfied with our opinions, to be always on the lookout for objections, and to be prepared to drop or alter our theories whenever counterevidence, counterarguments, or better-supported alternatives present themselves. Only the willingness to change one's mind gives any ground for thinking that what one hasn't been persuaded to change one's mind about may be right, or at least on the right track.”
—Thomas Nagal
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