boythinker asked this question on 5/7/2000:
I have many questions in regard to faith and reason:
1. Is faith and reason mutually exclusive? Yes or no, please explain. [Reason: the senses, materialism, empiricism, scientism or the scientific method.]
2. Why do you think most modern theist today claim that the scientific method is just another form of "faith?" Do you agree?
3. What is your view on logic, rationalism, and science in regards to faith?
Would love to hear your answers. Thank you.
erick@boythinker.com
gandm gave this response on 5/8/2000:
Faith is accepting that which you cannot reason or prove. If you can prove something it takes no faith. You may look at a chair and have faith it will hold you. However, after you are seated in that chair it takes no more faith. You have proven it. You have faith there is enough air to sustain your life. You can't prove it except one second at a time. Faith and reason are not the same. Reason is the act of trying to prove something, while faith merely accepts something to be true without trying to reason it out. To believe any science is faith is counterproductive. Science is not science unless one is attempting to prove something to be true or possible. Logic is assimilating facts or assumptions and arriving at a proveable theory.Rationalism is simply accepting that which makes the most sense, again proveable. Science I have already answered. Faith is the "esesence of things hoped for and the presence of things not seen." I hope this helps. Please don't forget to rate this answer. Thanks for asking. Gary
The average rating for this answer is 4.
boythinker rated this answer a 4.
I have not read a definition of faith in that nature. It was insightful sentence, "Faith is the 'essence of things hoped for and the presence of things not seen'." Who said this? And how is the concept 'essence' used in the sentence.