The “History of Doubt” is about how doubt has played such a large role in shaping at least the religious and philosophical portions of our history. The Historian/Poet, Jennifer Michael Hecht says that it is in fact doubt that is most important in the story of the development of religion, and that doubters are the ones who fuel the changes that we call history. She goes on to say that doubt should not be thought of as some negative way of looking at things, and shouldn’t be confused as cynicism. She says that it is the way in which we get to the truth and the meaning in our lives.
Hecht talks about how Greek philosophies including Cynicism, Skepticism, and Epicureanism began the history of doubt in which people began to question the world and their culture’s beliefs. She then discusses how this doubt matured to influence the Bible in the Book of Job and arguing against divine justice, and the Book of Ecclesiastes which approaches the stoic side of things saying “I can’t change that I will suffer so why worry?” She finally characterizes Jesus as a great doubter in that he at the end of his life even doubted by his words, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” She finally shows that many of the great modern thinkers such as Thomas Edison were doubters and that for some this led to greater faith, in the case of Benjamin Franklin, and some to none in Edison’s case.
I think that the key idea that this discussion highlights is that the unexamined life is not worth living. She obviously would stand for that philosophy because she says that doubt is what leads to the advancement of life. The idea that to doubt could bring us greater truth then to simply believe is key, and I agree with it. We need to doubt the nature of God, and of our other relationships to see if they are truly good and sustaining for us or if they are bad or a waste of time. It seems from Hecht’s point of view, and mine also, that the only way to really love life is to doubt why you love it in the first place.