Can you believe something exists if you have seen no physical evidence?

Answer 1

yes, i call that logical faith

Answer 2

The key to the question is: if you have seen no physical evidence.

I've seen evidence of many many $20 bills, but I've never seen $5 billion, I can believe $5 billion exists. I've seen evidence of Paris and the Eiffel tower, I know they exist. I've seen evidence that there are hundreds of trillions of stars, I believe other earth-like planets are possible of existing.

Just gaining some perspective of how big this universe is, is enough to make my head want to explode.

Of course we could venture into other realms with this, other than physical objects. I have thoughts, I guess I show physical evidence of having these thoughts by what I type on this keyboard though hmm...

Light -> Photons
Sound -> Vibration
Emotions -> Behavorialism

I think many things are possible, but I'd have a hard time believing in something that has absolutely no physical evidence for it seems that everything that does exist has some sort of physical form.

Nice question.

Answer 3

On the philosophy boards, you have to be careful about what "physical evidence" is.

I've heard people talk about a Bugatti car with a top speed of about 260 miles/hr, faster than a race car. Never seen it. Saw an article about it once, so there is a written record of someone else seeing it.

But this question often refers to the existence of God, or why we have religious beliefs. How you interpret your own existence, and the existence of the universe is a sticky thing. Documents like the Bible and Quran have been around for centuries, and trace their roots to an original source, someone who apparently saw with their own eyes.

The situation you describe is definitely called 'faith' by the religious. By the scientific, you might call it a 'postulate' or even a 'hypothesis'.

But, to actually answer your question, yes, you can believe something exists without any sort of evidence.

And don't get me started on the existence of alien spacecraft as UFO's, or ghosts, or ESP, or BigFoot. People believe in that even when confronted with physical evidence to the contrary.

Answer 4

Of course. If I feel heat I known that there is a source of heat that is near although I may not see it. If I hear noise I know that it is being generated by something but I need not see it. Many, many things are taken as existing although I cannot see them. Black holes in space are detected not because they can be seen but because of the effect they have on their surroundings. So no physical evidence is needed to conclude that something exists. However we have to understand that our senses can and are deceived so that we always bear in mind that the thing we assume to be there may not actually exist because it has been manufactured.

Answer 5

Physical evidence is questionable as well, as individual perception plays a very huge part in everything. So, believing something exists or does not has much more to do with ones internal systems then any material displays. Reality is not the same to one person as it is to another due to their perceptions, false belief systems, and mystical realms that may or may not exist. Whether we see something with our eyes, does not make it so and vice versa.

Answer 6

We all do it every day. Even with the advances made in astronomy over the last 500 years, scientists will tell you we've only seen 4% of what we believe the universe to be.

But, you do believe the other 96% is there, don't you?

Answer 7

No, I don´t believe in anything for what is no evidence. With respect, I have to add that believing in that case is pure faith, not logical faith.
Many years humanity has believed in miriads of gods, semigods, monsters, giving them powers (the thunder, the rain, and so, and so). Very soon some people learned to convince the others they talked with gods... the rest is very known.

Answer 8

Yes anything is possible to be seen you just have to tap into the right frequency and see the right energy fields. A trained and relaxed mind can do this because it is the electronic fields submitted by an object that the brain see (so to say).

Answer 9

Do you believe Paris exists? Would you get on a plane to Paris on that belief? Of course you would; there is just too many sources of information bolstering that belief. Despite some of the relativistic answers that you have received, Paris is there for you to fly to anytime you would like to go.

Answer 10

Certainly. Can't you? I've never seen physical evidence of the structure of an atom of gold but I know that said atoms have a specific structure. Doubtless niether have you, but we both agree upon the fact of gold, do we not?

Answer 11

YES!! A lot of times , I have felt the presence of a superior power who is taking care of me and making things all right for me. He/ She always gives me what I deserve. And I am not a religious person.So , yes - somethings you just gotta believe in it.