Doubt is the middle ground between blind acceptance and outright refusal to believe. Doubt lends itself to a certain uncomfortable feeling of questioning but is a necessary tool to reach perceived truth and knowledge. Without doubt, one would believe anything he or she is told; it is a natural filter for the information thrust upon us. Doubt is in some ways the opposite of faith. Faith insinuates an acceptance so powerful that one does not need evidence to back up one’s claim. The lack of evidence does not bother the faithful, but it will pester the doubter like an insatiable itch. But the specter of doubt looms over the doubter, demanding that questions be asked of whatever “fact” has been presented. The doubter will use the four ways of knowing—emotion, reason, language, and sense perception—to answer the questions and become a knower. Doubt is especially necessary in two areas of knowledge: history and human sciences. When studying history, one must doubt the stories presented as facts and consider possible distortions created by biases or the passage of time. Without doubt, the field of human science would never advance past the current understanding, leaving human kind stuck in an age of primitive treatment and technology.
The accuracy of history is weakened by time, perception, and memory. The Bible, for example, is particularly prone to such weaknesses. Millions of people accept it as fact despite its many fallacies. The events in the Bible are considered to be part of history. Yet such events were written about many years after they actually occurred. For example, Jesus is thought to have died in 33 A.D. This date is considered likely as his death must have occurred before Pontius Pilate left his position in 36 A.D. Y...
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...iam. “The Gospel According to Luke.” The Interpreter’s One-Volume Commentary on the Bible.” Nashville: Abingdon, 1971. 672-706. Print.
Bawer, Bruce. "What is Truth?" Rev. of Pontius Pilate , by Ann Wroe. Reviews by Bruce Bawer Fall 2001. Web. 1 Jan. 2011. .
Leo, Johnathan. "The Fallacy of the 50% Concordance Rate for Schizophrenia in Identical Twins." Rev. of The Gene Illusion , by Jay Joseph. Human Nature Review. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. .
Pentecost, J. Dwight. The Word and Works of Jesus Christ: A Study of the Life of Christ. Grand
Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2000. Amazon.com. Web. 1 Jan2011..
The Ryrie Study Bible. Chicago: Moody, 1976. Print. New American Standard Translation.
John Patrick Shanley stresses doubt to be something “that changes things” (Preface To Doubt) rather than its typical depiction of disadvantageous in present day society. Growing up with a very Catholic background, Shanely’s childhood was marred with the belief that “We [Catholics] would all believe the same thing.” (Preface to Doubt). This relates with Shanely’s theory on our “culture of dogma” (Meanwhile: I am) which expresses how many choices we make today are influenced or even based on the authoritative figure(s) in our lives. However, Shanley urges you to not let respected figures in life sway your original opinion or response on a matter (Meanwhile: I Am). Furthermore, Shanley believes that without doubt (and living with complete certainty),
Carson, D. A. New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition. 4th ed. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994.
The book A Prayer for Owen Meany brings forth various themes and questions that can't be answered easily. One of these questions is "Can religious faith exist alongside doubt, or are the two mutually exclusive?" There are several different possible takes on this question may be answered. How a person answers this question is related to their belief in faith.
Heaton, Allan. An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2013. Print.
Morgan, G. Campbell. Studies in the Four Gospels. 3rd ed. Old Tappan: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1931.
14 Jonathan T. Pennington. Heaven and Earth in the Gospel of Matthew. (Baker Academic: Grand Rapids, 2009), 214.15 Dale C. Allison, Jr. Studies in Matthew: Interpretation Past and Present. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005), 101.16 Frank J. Matera. Passion Narratives and Gospel Theologies: Interpreting the Synoptics Through Their Passion Stories. (New York: Paulist Press, 1986), 115.17 Dale C. Allison, Jr. Studies in Matthew: Interpretation Past and Present. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005), 229.
The domination of schizophrenia in specific geographical countries suggests a strong association between genetics and schizophrenia’s aetiology. Surveys regarding adopted, by different families, monozygotic twins were made. These surveys were established to investigate the relationship between schizophrenia and genes. The studies showed a potent genetic aetiology. Chances increase by fifty percent to develop schizophrenia once the other twins be diagnose with the disorder. Among schizophrenic patients, having schizophrenic siblings increases the chances of developing schizophrenia by eight percent. Other family studies have showed that 12% of children with schizoph...
Walaskay, Paul W. "The Trial and Death of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke." Journal of Biblical Literature 94.1 (1975): 81-93. JSTOR. Web. 27 Feb. 2012.
A skeptic is described as someone who “is willing to question any knowledge claim, asking for clarity in definition, consistency in logic, and adequacy of evidence.” To evaluate this approach, it is valuable to examine the ways in which ethics and the human sciences require evidence and experience in order to validate knowledge. By exploring how we are able to understand something more clearly by obtaining clear evidence and experience, as well as determining the validity of our moral codes, which aid us in our decision making process, a conclusion can be drawn as to just how we can validate knowledge.
History is a science, like all sciences and it has precise rules and formulas. Lack of attention to historical writings, will make fake stories; but an expert with simple analysis will find out that he can’t use those fake stories as resources or knowledge of history.
Family, twin, and adoption studies have demonstrated that the morbid risk of schizophrenia in relatives correlates with the degree of shared genes (Lewis & Lieberman, 2000).
Richardson, William E., and Dave Kidd. “Articles.” Pentecostal Evangel. General Council of the Assemblies of God. Web. 13 Nov. 2011.
Pentecost, J Dwight. Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology. Grand Rapids, MI: Academie Books, 1964.
The revival of ancient skepticism in early XVIth century has been considered one of the major forces in the development of modern thought, especially as regards the discussion about the nature of knowledge and the sciences. Richard Popkin in his History of Skepticism from Erasmus to Spinoza (1979) has shown that skeptical arguments were influential in the attack against traditional scholastic conceptions of science, opening the way to the development of the new scientific method. The dispute between those who embraced skepticism and those who tried to refute or surpass it was central to the philosophical scene well into the XVIIIth century.
Lane, William. The Gospel According to Mark: The English Text With Introduction, Exposition, and Notes (New International Commentary on the New Testament). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974.