InnerSelf's Daily Inspiration
February 17, 2026
The Pathway to Integrated Living
— Daily reminders for a conscious, connected life —
Most of us were never taught how to believe — we were just taught what to believe. And somewhere along the way, the phrase "I have a right to my belief" became a shield against honest reflection. But there's a difference between freedom of thought and the freedom to hold our minds shut. Real freedom — the kind that actually serves us — asks us to keep our beliefs honest, to hold them up to the light, and to be willing to let go of what doesn't hold up.
The focus for today is:
There is an ethic of believing — and that ethic both generates and limits our right to believe.
Today's message is inspired by Daniel DeNicola, author of the book: Understanding Ignorance: The Surprising Impact of What We Don't Know
As DeNicola reminds us, "Believing and knowing are formed within an epistemic community, which also bears their effects." Our beliefs are never truly private. They shape what we do, how we treat others, and what kind of world we help build. The invitation today is not to believe less freely — but to believe more honestly. They might be "true believers," he writes, "but they are not believers in the truth."
CONTINUE READING the complete article here:
Why You Don't Have A Right To Believe Whatever You Want To
Author: Daniel DeNicola
A Reminder:
There is an ethic of believing — and that ethic both generates and limits our right to believe.
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RELATED BOOK: Understanding Ignorance: The Surprising Impact of What We Don't Know
Winner of the 2018 PROSE Award in Philosophy from the Association of American Publishers, this book by Daniel DeNicola explores the nature, value, and surprisingly wide impact of what we don't know — and what we refuse to acknowledge.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/026253603X/innerselfcom
About the Author
Daniel DeNicola is professor and chair of philosophy at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. He is the author of Understanding Ignorance: The Surprising Impact of What We Don't Know (MIT Press, 2017), which received the 2018 PROSE Award in Philosophy from the Association of American Publishers. This article was originally published at Aeon and has been republished under Creative Commons.
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