On Open-Mindedness

On Open-Mindedness

1.
People often tell us to be open-minded, but only to the extent that they wish us to be lenient towards their own closed-mindedness.

2.
Entertaining another's ideas doesn't require an open mind, but a fully functioning one, capable of both opening and closing by its own volition.

3.
An open-minded person is no less closed-minded when he is not open-minded about closed-mindedness.

4.
If an open mind was like a vessel, it would eventually fill. Instead it is like digestive system; ideas through the front, impurities out the rear.

5.
Entertaining ideas is the pleasure of a closed mind, not the obligation of an open one.

6.
Some say that they are open-minded, but only insofar as they are willing to pretend that they are.

7.
An open-mind has no defense and welcomes every trojan horse.

8.
A closed mind is the result of a once open mind.

9.
People are only open-minded by reason of protecting the vanity of others, and hence their own.

10.
Open-mindedness isn't a virtue, but a vice.

What did I just read?

I think it depends on how you define "open-mindedness". There's a lot of gray area (and gray matter) there. The simple fact that someone is reading on ATS shows that they are not completely close-minded. (again, it depends on one's definition)

reply to post by Aphorism


Two threads in one day! Beautiful.

Buuuuuuut I respectfully disagree. Open-mindedness is not synonymous with gullibility, which is a differentiation you appear to have not taken into consideration.

reply to post by AfterInfinity

Open-mindedness is not synonymous with gullibility, which is a differentiation you appear to have not taken into consideration.

Would you mind helping me by describing what it is synonymous with?

reply to post by AreUKiddingMe

I think it depends on how you define "open-mindedness". There's a lot of gray area (and gray matter) there. The simple fact that someone is reading on ATS shows that they are not completely close-minded. (again, it depends on one's definition)

If you could, how would you define it?

Aphorism
reply to post by AfterInfinity

 

Open-mindedness is not synonymous with gullibility, which is a differentiation you appear to have not taken into consideration.

Would you mind helping me by describing what it is synonymous with?

Hmmm...there's a quote that comes to mind:

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." - Aristotle

Open-mindedness is exactly that. You have an open mind. But just because the door is open does not mean the master isn't home. I'm reminded of a story, actually - a king receives an anonymous gift of three dolls, with a note reading, "Are you wise enough to choose between these three dolls?" And he eventually figures it out: he sticks a hair in each doll's ear, and in respective order, the hair comes out the opposite ear, the mouth, and the third it doesn't come out at all. The moral is that doll whose mouth released the hair is the gossip or the storyteller, the doll whose ear the hair comes out of is the fool, and the one where the hair doesn't come out at all is the wiseman.

The one thing these dolls all had in common is that they listen. They take things in. What makes the difference with them - and here in this discussion - is what is done with the information once it has been collected. Open-mindedness is not defined merely by the ability to listen, but by the ability to use what is heard. If you just spread it everywhere, you are a gossip. If you don't listen at all, you are a fool. But if you take it in and weigh it carefully and store it for future reference, then you are wise.

And that's what being open-minded is about.

I think what it means to be open minded is the ability to withhold judgement untill all the facts and data are presented towards in either a situation or baout a person.

Being able to not make a snap judgement about something or someone based on a precieved notion you have about it or th e person.

Aphorism
reply to post by AreUKiddingMe

 

I think it depends on how you define "open-mindedness". There's a lot of gray area (and gray matter) there. The simple fact that someone is reading on ATS shows that they are not completely close-minded. (again, it depends on one's definition)

If you could, how would you define it?

I don't really have a definition for it, and if you want to take it a step further, we all might be somewhat close-minded based on our own experiences. Our perceptions and life experiences form our opinions. What if there are multiple universes and dimensions that we don't know about? We can only reason based on our "perception" of reality. What if nothing is even real and we are part of a huge simulation on someone's computer?

I get where open-mindednesd could be considered a form of politeness. Not really approving but looking the other way. Is that really open?

reply to post by Shepard64

reply to post by Aphorism


It's impossible to be fully open minded on all subjects. For this you would be void of personal opinion on all subjects. Therefore in my opinion a person is a combination of both open minded and close minded depending on the subject at hand.

American-philosopher
I think what it means to be open minded is the ability to withhold judgement untill all the facts and data are presented towards in either a situation or baout a person.

Being able to not make a snap judgement about something or someone based on a precieved notion you have about it or th e person.

Yep.

And like anything else in life, open-mindedness is a balance between total gullibility and total skepticism with many factors constantly being thrown into the mix. It takes patience and control, and we don't always have that. And sometimes it opens us up to criticism of a sort, as in that we cannot take a stand. Clearly not easy to achieve.

"“Do not be so open-minded that your brains fall out.”" ~ G.K. Chesterton

reply to post by Aphorism


This effectively presents the Antonym or Near Antonyms of the term Open-minded as defined.