The Power of Doubt

- A discussion with Jennifer Michael Hecht about her book, Doubt a History

Summary by Dave Emnett:

Hecht is a historian who has noticed doubt throughout her studies of history. She defines doubt as the human impulse to question what is given in order to invest ones days with meaning. Hecht refers to Socrates, Jesus Christ, Thomas Jefferson, and Emily Dickinson as some of history’s greatest doubters. Hecht then goes into details about her thoughts on doubt giving examples:

Cynics: Cynic came from the Greek word kunikos which meant “doglike.” Cynics are people who live life like a dog, who “go with the flow.” They decide not to worry about dignity like a dog going to the bathroom where and when he needs to go. Cynicism is a dismissal of everything. Cynics were those who seemed to always be pointing out the flaws in others. Do we spend too much time pointing out other’s flaws when we ourselves have to many of our own? Are we ourselves practical atheist and yet pointing out those who don’t go to church every Sunday?

Skeptics: Skeptics say that they can’t know anything because the human mind wasn’t designed to be used for finding truth but for survival. Not only do skeptics question the ability of humans to know anything but they also look at all the brilliant philosophies of the world and ask the question “how could they just one be right?” Socrates once said that he knew more than everybody because he knew that he didn’t know anything. Was Hobbes right? Were humans minds designed for survival and not for seeking the truth---animal instincts?

Epicurus’s letter: There are three obstacles to happiness: fear of death, fear of pain, fear of the gods. Are we to caught up in the fear of the cost? Can we never find happiness if we can’t get over our fears? Should we like Nietz-sche suggests have the courage to reject God----will that bring us happiness?

Job: Traditionally God and the devil make a deal. The devil can do anything it wants to Job except kill him. God says he will still have faith. The devil says he won’t. Consider this to maybe be a story about doubt. The world is not just. Humanity makes it that way. Can we get through suffering? How strong is our faith? How is Job able to still believe if all the things in life that he thinks make him happy are gone? Should we doubt God? Can we except not having some of the answers?

Jesus’ last words: Christianity came to be after the literature of doubt was already there. Christianity takes on the history of doubt combating it and saying, “We believe anyway!” Jesus’ last words are: “My God my God why have you forsaken me?” This makes faith have doubt in it and effects faith in a positive way so that the experience of belief is a belief you can apply, something that isn’t provable. Is doubting a very important part of faith? (yes) Can we believe and still doubt and question?

Descartes: His philosophy was of the stage of reflective disunity where the only accepted ideas are the ones proven by direct observation. (Where science moves away from faith) Descartes concluded that there is only one thing that can be doubted and that is doubt itself. “I think therefore, I am.” Where is the relationship between faith and science now? Does this relationship depend on doubt?

Islamic Golden Age: This is when the Romans kicked out the philosophers and they fled to the Islamic area. Doubt then became rooted in Islam and the Muslims customs. Is this faith part of the same faith we have?

Hecht quotes Edison: "No, all this talk of an existence for us, as individuals, beyond the grave is wrong. It is born of our tenacity of life — our desire to go on living — our dread of coming to an end as individuals. I do not dread it, though. Personally, I cannot see any use of a future life." Is there life after death? How does atheism combat this image of immortality? How can we respond to this view?

Atheist, Agnostic, and Believer: These terms are all based on doubt. Even if you’re a believer you can’t have faith without doubt. You can’t know and decided that you have faith in God without doubt and questioning what is out there, what is going to happen after death. What do I believe? Can I believe without using doubt? What does the history relationship tell us about doubt?

Link to Speaking of Faith

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