my experience is that people who claim to actually know what the "Truth" is generally arrive at said conviction by arriving at what they find a convenient stopping point, and then ceasing all useful thought.

No doubt.

I think even moreso they arrive at a juncture which would require a CHANGE in their "map" of the world and do not think about it, or even acknowledge it for that matter. IOW they cease the useful thought because their worldview has been challenged and they are not willing to change it, no matter how compelling the evidence.

I know I've been guilty of that before, and will most likely be again. I can be a pretty stubborn old fart.

I've never trusted anyone who says he knows what the "Truth" is. I don't beleive it CAN be known, at least in this stage in our development.