I'm afraid this question is a bit vauge but I can't think of a better way to put it.
2007-01-12 09:19:32 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Doubt is subordinate to certainty, but is the safer position. Certainty promotes action, while doubt inhibits action. Certainty carries the greater risk, but also carries the greater reward. It is more honorable to act from the platform of certainty than doubt, because you can be proven wrong if you are certain of something, and from it you gain correction and knowledge. When you doubt and are proven wrong, you remain doubtful of yourself. It is better to be certain.
2007-01-12 09:35:45 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
No this is actually a very good question. Lets see I think being able to be certain about everything would be nice, but I also like being able to doubt things when I think they are not right. So I guess I would have to say certainty. I would rather know everything then doubt everything and no nothing.
2007-01-12 18:29:33 · answer #2 · answered by ~*These Blue Eyes Tell No Lies*~ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Certainty is very hard to achieve from a philosphical standpoint. You can be certain of thigs like science and math and english but things like god and religion life and what the hell we're doing here you can't be certain about. Doubt is good it allows us to open our minds and try and figure out all the possibilities of why something is the way it is, instead of just going by what one person is "certain" about.
2007-01-12 18:16:56 · answer #3 · answered by Satan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A certainty is something that is certain. Certain is defined as fixed of settled; dependable or reliable; indisputable or undeniable; assured in mind or action. Doubt is defined as an uncertainty of belief or opinion; distrust.
Layman's terms: In order to more firmly establish an assured trust in a belief or an assured trust in the reliablity of something, true (not false) knowledge of the laws founding the belief or the laws governing the item in question must be perceived. With that knowledge gained one may judge an item or belief to be certainly, or undeniably, reliable or rational so that its reliability or rationality may be certainly, or undeniably, trusted; or with any such true knowledge refferably opposing an item or belief's reliability or rationality, one may judge the item or belief's reliability or rationality to be poor or falicious, so that its reliability or certainty may be certainly distrusted or doubted.
The lack of knowledge which may give one the ability to judge reliability or rationality of things or men may or may not have any affect upon ones certainty, or FAITH, or BELIEF, in opinions or beliefs.
WHY?... If the possession of or lack of knowledge is PERCEIVED then it MAY affect one's certainty or faith, or doubt (the lack of certainty) in or towards any belief or opinion.
The question posed here in this case "Which is better... certainty or doubt?" may be of two natures: interogatory or evocative. Are you asking the question to gain knowledge about the definitions of the words; or are you asking the question to make people brood wonderfully in stupor?
The question should be "Which is better, knowledge of the truth of things, of the lack thereof?" OR
"....to be bold and stuborn, or to be wishy washy, and indecisive?"
2007-01-12 18:48:34 · answer #4 · answered by Steven James 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Certainty is nice, but since you can't truly know when you're correct and when you're incorrect, I'd say doubt is the more useful. You're more likely to discover the truth if you're always double checking and keeping an open mind.
2007-01-12 17:38:16 · answer #5 · answered by Halley 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
While too much of either would be bad, I would rather have too much doubt than certainty, because too much certainty would not leave much room for personal growth.
2007-01-12 17:35:38 · answer #6 · answered by Captain Hammer 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
depends on the situation...do I love my children and country, not a doubt, do I trust everyone...lotta doubt there, it is much more warm to have certainty, but not always the smartest...GREAT QUESTION.
2007-01-12 17:28:00 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both have their strengths and weaknesses under various circumstances. I think the best attribute is to know which to use and when.
2007-01-12 17:24:10 · answer #8 · answered by Morgan S 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
doubt.......that way it feels better an more good in the end to find out u were right
2007-01-12 17:23:57 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I forgot who coined the phrase, but it goes like this:
The smarter you are, the more you realize you don't know.
2007-01-12 18:49:35 · answer #10 · answered by SayWhat? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋