An attempt to clarify definitions of the basic concepts: belief, conception, knowledge

In this paper we consider beliefs and the related concepts of conceptions and knowledge. Analyzing the literature in different fields we observe that there are different views and different approaches in research about these subjects. Therefore, we have organized a panel that we have termed “virtual”, since the participants communicated with us only by e-mail. We sent to the panelists nine characterizations related to beliefs taken from the recent literature, and asked them to express their agreement or disagreement with our statements and to give personal characterizations. The answers were analyzed and as a final step we outlined some common factors and relationships that may be taken as a background for studies in the field of beliefs