believes it to be better than

[hhtt21]

I cannot understand the phrase "believes it to be better than". Would you please help me understand it by also giving demonstrative examples.

" A nationalist is a person who is very proud of his or her country and believes it to be better than other countries." This example is partially self-made.


Does "to be better" imply a future expectation or they believe that their country is currently better?

 

[hhtt21]

They believe that it is better.

Would you please explain the use the structure/pattern/construction to be?At least for this case. Why is "to be" preferred to "is" in the original?

 

[hhtt21]

They believe that it is better.

Would not to think ​be a better verb for this situation?

 

[hhtt21]

Why?

At first glance, to believe is related to religions and not involve much menthal activity. More deeper than to think. To think is more related to the thoughts which have logical background but to believe is more related to beliefs without proofs.

 

[GoesStation]

At first glance, to believe is related to religions and not involve much menthal activity. More deeper than to think. To think is more related to the thoughts which have logical background but to believe is more related to beliefs without proofs.

While religiously faithful people believe in the tenets of their religions, anybody who accepts something as true believes it. The verb says nothing about the basis of the belief.

I believe that if I release a pencil with my hand extended over an open space, the pencil will accelerate towards the center of the earth at a rate of sixteen feet per second per second. My belief is sustained by scientific studies, not religious texts.

By contrast, if I say I think the pencil will accelerate at 16 ft/sec[SUP]2[/SUP],​ I'm expressing uncertainty.

 

[hhtt21]

While religiously faithful people believe in the tenets of their religions, anybody who accepts something as true believes it. The verb says nothing about the basis of the belief.

I believe that if I release a pencil with my hand extended over an open space, the pencil will accelerate towards the center of the earth at a rate of sixteen feet per second per second. My belief is sustained by scientific studies, not religious texts.

By contrast, if I say I think the pencil will accelerate at 16 ft/sec[SUP]2[/SUP],​ I'm expressing uncertainty.

These two "to believe"s are different meanins of the verb. I think there is an important difference between them. Isn't demonstrative example you have given far away from "believing it"? You are surely know it will at accelerate at that value. So would you please explain know vs. believe there?

 

[GoesStation]

I think it's simpler than what you suggest. Believing something is simply accepting that it's true. Knowing a fact is often the same thing.

 

[jutfrank]

The messy meanings of know/think/believe can tie you into all kinds of epistemological knots.

 

[Tarheel]

I believe that GS is right.
;-)

 

[hhtt21]

While religiously faithful people believe in the tenets of their religions, anybody who accepts something as true believes it. The verb says nothing about the basis of the belief.

I believe that if I release a pencil with my hand extended over an open space, the pencil will accelerate towards the center of the earth at a rate of sixteen feet per second per second. My belief is sustained by scientific studies, not religious texts.

By contrast, if I say I think the pencil will accelerate at 16 ft/sec[SUP]2[/SUP],​ I'm expressing uncertainty.

Can we say that believe introduces certainty whileas think introduces uncertainty?

Here is an example: The experts think the man was killed as a part of religious ceremony. Can we say the experts are not sure for being true but they are probably true?

 

[Rover_KE]

Can we say that believe introduces certainty, [STRIKE]whileas[/STRIKE] whereas think introduces uncertainty?

`

 

[hhtt21]

Then would you please explain the part "experts think" in "The experts think the man was killed as a part of religious ceremony." For example what meaning does it "experts think" introduce to the sentence?

 

[hhtt21]

It is saying that this is the opinion of the experts.

But what about being they are certain or not? GoesStation's example about the falling object and its acceleration was explaining the difference between think and believe with respect to certainty.

 

[jutfrank]

The experts are not certain but they're making their best guess. That's really all we can tell from think.

GoesStation was using a different example. Don't misunderstand: there are differences between think and believe. These differences can be profound, but sometimes (as in your 'experts' example) there is no significant difference at all.

As is nearly always the case, it all depends on the sentence.

 

[hhtt21]

The experts are not certain but they're making their best guess. That's really all we can tell from think.

GoesStation was using a different example. Don't misunderstand: there are differences between think and believe. These differences can be profound, but sometimes (as in your 'experts' example) there is no significant difference at all.

As is nearly always the case, it all depends on the sentence.

That is believe and think in the example about experts above are the same?

 

[jutfrank]

That is believe and think in the example about experts above are the same?

Yes. Both verbs are ways of introducing an opinion. We don't know from this isolated sentence how confident they are that they are right.