We are often faced with changes in life. We may not like it, but change is inevitable. As we age or do different things, we change. Things change around us, as other people and the world change. When these changes happen, our beliefs, our ways of thinking are challenged. We may wonder whether we have been thinking correctly, whether we have been reacting correctly. Even our basic principles may be challenged. We may wonder whether the rules we live by are passé or outmoded, whether we have been betrayed by the very morality we hold dear. In all of these situations, we wonder whether we need to change our minds.

                                     If we live in a moral way, if we are convinced that our basic principles are sound, none of the changes in us or our surroundings really affect our basic thinking. Our principles guide us in reaction to change, help us to adapt, assist us in continuing in the face of change. But other thinking is fact and analysis based. We try to reason to a correct result from perceived facts. If we are wrong about the facts, it is difficult to reach a correct result. We need to change our minds in this situation but we sometimes cherish our factual beliefs in the same way we cherish our principles, we are reluctant to change our minds even when our mindset was based on factual errors.

                                    A columnist I admire discussed this issue, saying “Don’t be embarrassed to change your mind. No one should have to live with a bad decision.” In these two sentences he reminds us of our reluctance to change our minds and the fallacy of the reluctance. If we are wrong, admit it, correct the error and move on.

4-9-07