| I've stopped being annoyed with what seemed like blanket unsupported statements and written a more patient response: > But they don’t choose to believe Nazi ideology or to not believe it. If one gets new information, one decides whether that information is worth changing their beliefs. That is one important distinction between innate qualities and beliefs. And yes choice is involved. > You cannot change a single one of your sincerely held beliefs by simply choosing to believe otherwise. I receive new information, I reevaluate my beliefs. Simple. > people often believe they’re straight and later believe they’re bi or gay, for example. That's true and a good point - heterosexuality (which is closely tied with the ability to reproduce) is assumed to be the default. But see the next point... > Sex and race are externally observable fuzzy characteristics Agreed that 'race' is a funny concept. Americans mainly seem to use it to refer to skin color vs actual ancestry. That's the sense I'm using it here. Also sexuality is externally observable. If someone is a man and having sex with (gender here) that's externally visible. You can literally watch it. |