Definition: Preconceived opinion not based on reason, evidence or experience.
Further Definition: (sets the ideas/scene)
Prejudice is a part of human nature that has caused a great deal of controversy in society from the dawn of civilization. Simply put, it is a sort of instinct. Sometimes, the instinct is inborn, other times it is taught, but in both cases, it forms a strong generalized belief about a group. This group can be made up of anything, from people to vehicles to plants and animals. The most common categories of prejudice are; Some, for instance, believe that all airplanes are deathtraps and incredibly dangerous. Despite the high safety rank achieved by the aviation industry, these people absolutely refuse to fly. Others believe that all people of a certain race are thieves and liars. These two negative traits occur in every race with general equality, but these prejudiced individuals, whether through personal experience or anecdotal evidence, refuse to believe facts and statistics. Not all prejudices are taught, however. Some are ingrained in the human DNA. For instance, the human fear of heights can often be crippling. A person with such a fear is typically born with it. They will, for example, refuse to cross a perfectly safe, sturdy bridge just because that bridge spans a deep canyon. Similarly, the fear of the dark is generally hardwired into the human brain and causes people to do silly things in an effort to avoid dark places. There is, of course, a general prejudice against the word "prejudice" itself. People believe that this word only denotes nasty habits and beliefs that should be avoided and cast out of society. However, that is not always the case. Let's take the fear of fire, for instance. That is one prejudice which generally proves to be very helpful. Not putting body parts into a live flame is a prejudice which prevents a lot of nasty, painful and potentially permanent injuries.
Synonyms: