J
Jonesboy
Guest
**A belief is a preferred decision to act on one of two or more necessarily unconfirmable or unprovable propositions or ideas that require acting upon. **
These propositions or ideas of a belief are public, not private. The decision to act on one of the unconfirmable propositions that make up the propositions of a belief constitutes a belief. The preference that drives a decision is necessarilly logically uncontroversial, and the decision is logically sound.
There are two ways in which an idea, proposition or statement of belief are unconfirnable:
**1) Proof: when the unconfirmable pertains to elements or particulars in a system.
The propositions of a belief are necessarilly “unprovable” when its elements are unconfirmable. For example, a belief that Napolean never drank tea taken from the belief propositions that Napolean did like tea, and Napolean did not like tea, is based on the common unconfirmable elements of Napolean liking/not liking tea.
2) Unprovable: When the unconfirmable pertains to a system or foundation for elements. The propositions of a belief are not subject to proof when it addresses systems, grounds or foundations. For example, the belief that there is a God is not subject to proof if God is not an element in a system but a foundation for elements.
MIstakes arise when we fail to address the distinction between 1) and 2). For example, asking for “proof of God” fails to identify God as an element or a foundation for elements. Only as an element is God subject to proof.
Faith is the name of the act of belief that is associated with a religion. It can address elements or foundations, but more often than not addresses the latter where it is necessarilly not subject to proof.
These propositions or ideas of a belief are public, not private. The decision to act on one of the unconfirmable propositions that make up the propositions of a belief constitutes a belief. The preference that drives a decision is necessarilly logically uncontroversial, and the decision is logically sound.
There are two ways in which an idea, proposition or statement of belief are unconfirnable:
**1) Proof: when the unconfirmable pertains to elements or particulars in a system.
The propositions of a belief are necessarilly “unprovable” when its elements are unconfirmable. For example, a belief that Napolean never drank tea taken from the belief propositions that Napolean did like tea, and Napolean did not like tea, is based on the common unconfirmable elements of Napolean liking/not liking tea.
2) Unprovable: When the unconfirmable pertains to a system or foundation for elements. The propositions of a belief are not subject to proof when it addresses systems, grounds or foundations. For example, the belief that there is a God is not subject to proof if God is not an element in a system but a foundation for elements.
MIstakes arise when we fail to address the distinction between 1) and 2). For example, asking for “proof of God” fails to identify God as an element or a foundation for elements. Only as an element is God subject to proof.
Faith is the name of the act of belief that is associated with a religion. It can address elements or foundations, but more often than not addresses the latter where it is necessarilly not subject to proof.