Final answer:
Phobias, mistakes, incongruities, whims, and laziness can contribute to a divergence between professed reasoning systems and actual beliefs. These factors can lead to the formation of unfounded and unchecked beliefs which are later rationalized or ignored until they demand reevaluation. The Dunning-Kruger Effect also plays a role by making individuals overconfident in their flawed reasoning.
Step-by-step explanation:
Belief Systems and Reasoning
In the context of belief systems and their development, phobias, mistakes, incongruities, and factors like whim or laziness can significantly influence the divergence between the systems of reasoning we profess and the actual adoption of beliefs. Phobias can lead to irrational fears that bypass logical reasoning. Mistakes in reasoning, such as false cause fallacies and poor reasoning due to biases, can create superstitions or unfounded beliefs. Incongruities within a growing belief system might be ignored or explained away with qualifiers and alternative interpretations until they lead to a burdensome complexity that demands more careful scrutiny and a reassessment of core beliefs. Additionally, factors like whim and laziness may prevent individuals from engaging in reflective thought, hence maintaining beliefs that lack a solid foundation or contradict evidence.
As belief systems face inconsistencies, there may be initial attempts to preserve them without abandoning the foundational ideas, but once the process of reconciling discrepancies becomes too complex, it may trigger a deeper examination and potential overhaul of the belief structure to achieve coherence and satisfy the demands of reason.
The Dunning-Kruger Effect, a cognitive bias in which people with limited knowledge or competence in a domain overestimate their own ability, can further exacerbate this divergence by leading individuals to hold onto incorrect beliefs confidently without recognizing their own reasoning flaws or the need for alternative viewpoints.