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Conceived by philosophy Tamar Gendler, “alief” is used like belief, but it’s more of an automatic reaction that is not necessary rational. Often, an alief conflicts with a belief, but we act on our alief even though we believe otherwise.

For example, I can believe that something is safe, but I can still get scared and act like it’s not–like walking on a sky bridge.

To have an alief is to a reasonable approximation, to have an innate or habitual propensity to respond to an apparent stimulus in a particular way. It is to be in a mental state that is… associative, automatic and arational. As a class, aliefs are states that we share with non-human animals; they are developmentally and conceptually antecedent to other cognitive attitudes that the creature may go on to develop. Typically, they are also affect-laden and action-generating.

Gendler, Tamar, “Alief in action (and reaction)”, Mind and Language, 23(5): 552–585.

Okay, now that I learned a little bit about what alief means, I’m wondering if it’s even useful and necessary to have a word for this concept or if the concept is coherent? The concept is similar to instinct, but basically an instinct that conflicts with our more rational beliefs.

But I don’t know if an alief is really that different than a belief. We believe conflicting things all the time, and the version of rationality that makes alief possible assume that rationality is not conflicting, when I think it very well can be. (I can believe something is safe and also believe that it is not safe at all, and all of that is quite rational).

Some of examples of alief are being scared on a sky bridge, crying during a fictional movie, or acting on a bias that we know is wrong. And these things are very different from each other, so I’m not inclined to think that this concept is entirely useful.

Further reading:
https://www.wi-phi.com/series/cognitive-biases/
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/implicit-bias/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272764251_Why_Alief_is_Not_a_Legitimate_Psychological_Category

Sometimes I really like planning and dreaming and thinking about things that may or may not ever happen. In my home renovation, I am constantly going through and thinking about how things will change and what I want to make out of my home.

Sometimes I get too caught up in planning and I don’t do as much as I need to to actually put those plans into action.

Sometimes I don’t even care if I complete my plans; I just like to imagine.

I’ve used a lot of spray foam in my renovation. And you have to be very careful with that stuff, because it is very sticky. If it gets on your clothes, they will forever have spray foam on them. If you get it on your skin, you basically have to peel off some of your skin to get it off. Mechanically peeling it off is the only way I have found to remove it–once it’s hard, nothing helps.

And so today, I sat and picked at my arm until my skin was sore and hurting as flakes of spray foam gathered below.

Be careful when you use spray foam.

Sometimes things seem to be so needlessly complicated. And I can see that if the world were different, there could be so many easier ways to do simple things.

But it’s complicated. And I just have to deal with that and do my best to make my way through the complications.

Direction.

Comfort.

Forgiveness.

Strength.

Friendship.

Peace.

Improvement.

Family.

Music.

Charity.

Communication is important to relationships, but can too much communication be negative?

Often, we need more honesty and vulnerability. We need to talk kindly to each other and work through problems.

But sometimes our words can turn emotional and angry. They can focus on negative spaces and bring up old pain.

I think there are also times when words are inadequate to repair damage or fill up empty spaces. We need time without words, time for healing, time for action, time to be silent.

Our relationships need action, service, space, boundaries, patience, quietness.

Words are important, but they cannot solve all problems.

I feel loved when I recognize that I am a child of God and Heavenly Father loves me.

I feel loved when I remember my parents and everything they have done for me, and that they will continue loving me through hard times and good times.

I feel loved when I think of my family who likes to spend time with me and be with me just how I am.

I feel loved when I remember friends and family and neighbors who have shown kindness to me in so many small ways.

I feel loved when I remember how many people have said that they love me.

II feel loved when I accept and love myself, when I realize I don’t have to be perfect.

There are many rational arguments that there is a God, but I more because of feeling. The world doesn’t make sense without a God, but I’ve felt his love and his power in a unique, spiritual way, and that’s enough for me.

I like carrot cake. With milk.

My friend once ordered me carrot cake Oreos for my birthday and had them shipped to my house. It was one of the most thoughtful and surprising things anyone has ever done for me.

And if you don’t like Oreos, that’s okay. Homemade cookies/cake/etc. are always better.

Sometimes reading the scriptures isn’t very enjoyable. I’m reading the Old Testament right now, and I’ve just finished 1 Chronicles. It gets repetitive and I don’t understand quite a lot of it.

But I enjoy it when I’m looking for verses and phrases that resonate with me and can help me in my life.

In the middle of genealogies and lists, I came across this verse:

Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

1 Chronicles 28:20

I don’t like every single verse when I read the scriptures, but I come to love the scriptures when I search to find the single verse that can help me.