Why faith?

[Tharagor]

faith: firm belief in something for which there is no proof.

[moses2792796]

Do you believe that a world exists external to yourself? Prove it.

[PostmodernProphet]

Do you believe that a world exists external to yourself? Prove it.

I'm not masochistic enough to imagine the people who insult my posts........

[moses2792796]

Or are you?

...even so, The Matrix showed us that to some degree, everyone has faith.

[Tharagor]

Or are you?

...even so, The Matrix showed us that to some degree, everyone has faith.


I can see how some may interpret it that way. However, there are some, myself included, who live devoid of faith.

How do I know the world around me exists? I don't consider the question important. I've never found that school of philosophy terribly relevant. I certainly don't see how it can have an effect on us or the way we live.

[moses2792796]

You are correct, it is an irrelevant question because it does not have an answer. However by participating in the world you are acting out of faith, even if you do not acnowledge it.

[PostmodernProphet]

How do I know the world around me exists?

why do you use a keyboard to talk to yourself?

[PatrickHenry]

faith: firm belief in something for which there is no proof.

Epistemology is a deep subject that won't be dealt with properly on a web forum by those equipped with only enough intelligence to operate a keyboard.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Classical-Definition-of-Kno.svg/250px-Classical-Definition-of-Kno.svg.png

[piratemonkey]

You are correct, it is an irrelevant question because it does not have an answer. However by participating in the world you are acting out of faith, even if you do not acnowledge it.


Not true. The odds of the us living in a Matrix-like environment, given that there isn't a shred of evidence to suggest that we are, is so astromonically low as to be irrelevant.

If there isn't any evidence and it in no way effects your life... it doesn't matter.

Occam's Razor is an important tool.

[moses2792796]

There are no "odds", it's not possible to calculate probability without any data. I agree that it is irrelevant, but I also acknowledge that by acting within the world which I perceive my actions bespeak faith.

[piratemonkey]

What are the odds that any single metaphysical theory is factual?

[PostmodernProphet]

What are the odds that any single metaphysical theory is factual?


one out of infinity.....at least so long as they are contradictory.......does that translate into something mathematical?.......

[moses2792796]

So then the "odds" of any metaphysical theory being factual is infinity out of infinity, perhaps we should leave statistics out for now.

[cronic]

ok.. This must be too deep for me.. the title of the post is "Why faith".. then the first post is a definition of the word.. I'm not positive if its totally accurate but I think its pretty close if not right on only because I looked up the word itself and it has, not necessarily multiple meanings but many different ways to explain it...
I'd like to show the reference I looked on.. (by the way).. I don't use wiki because wiki is a website that does not necessarily always pose the facts properly and can actually be known to be false in areas as wiki is based on peoples accountability of a subject vs true facts.
( which is why I hate it when people use it here or anywhere as a reference, and I feel there should be better fact finding info on any topic one may be debating ). If there isn't then I have to admit I find whatever facts posed to me from wiki become a bit skeptical in believability.
Faith (http://www.reference.com/search?q=faith&x=0&y=0)

I started out fine in this post until I realized I was way of topic because when I hear the word faith.. I think of religion. I now realize after reading the definition of the word itself, I don't think I like the word faith and it would not be right for me to post the book I wrote in this thread because faith has alot more to do with just religion.. Thus I'm going to stop here and start a new thread titled ... God, Life, Death, & Is there a Beyond? (http://www.democracyforums.com/showthread.php?tid=11515) I hope ya all come check it out and read the book and let me know what ya all think yourselves.. Not necessarily about my views but what your views are, altho I welcome any and all criticisms!