Is a belief trivial if it cannot be proven?

Answer 1

The trivial nature of a belief lies only in the believer and the believer's faith...

Answer 2

Now you've got me wondering what "trivial" means. And for that matter, what "proven" means. You sure pack a lot into a short question.

I don't think that any belief is "trivial." Beliefs are our way of making sense out of the world; and making sense out of the world seems to be a fundamental human need.

On the other hand, I believe that beliefs are powerful, that they can be used for "good" or "evil," and that therefore our capacity to believe is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly.

I believe that a belief that cannot be proven, ought to be held "loosely." I think it is a useful and responsible thing to remind ourselves occasionally that essentially anything we're believing MIGHT be wrong. This is easier said than done, because some of our beliefs tend to be tightly coupled to our deepest fears and our loftiest hopes. But if you can't learn to cheerfully abandon a cherished belief when it's clearly inconsistent with the external world, then in some sense you're making a decision to cut yourself off from that external world.

And that can get dangerous. The external world is the thing we all share. If we can learn how to listen to its story rather than impose our own story on it, then we can learn to see its essentials in the same way. And we might just learn how to get along.

Answer 3

Beliefs, by definition, are either not possible to prove by objective standards, are else can be proven objectively, but have yet to be. In general, they are conclusions we reach based on evidence that is relevant to us, but which is inconclusive otherwise.

The question of triviality refers to the importance given to the belief and is utterly dependent on point of view. Thus, what may be a profound belief to one person could be unimportant to someone else. Example: I belief that there is other life in the universe. The belief, however, is "trivial" to me because the existence (or not) of other life doesn't change much about my life as it is. A few years ago, some scientists announced they had firm evidence of life "out there," and Bill Clinton got pretty excited about it. To me, because the discovery is simply a matter of time, it was "trivial." Nothing really changed in my world.

Another: I believe my lover loves me deeply. This is profound, because so much of my life is based on that belief. The expectancy of companionship, sexual sharing, intellectual stimulation and fealty I take as "givens." There is evidence, but no proof.

But that's just MY take on those things -others will understand them differently. In any case, however, "belief," by definition either cannot be proven or cannot be proven YET. That fact has no bearing on the triviality of the belief.

Answer 4

Something you cant prove or not proven now doesn't mean it is not exist.
i.e. In the Qur'an there is one verse explaining about the black hole looks like, which no body could prove at that time and for a long time until Hubble got the picture of it which is abt 1400 years later.

I believe there are lots in other Books like that. The old Hindu story , started > thousands year ago,abt people fying or lived underground or in the sea, maybe until submarine, airplane, underground MRT it was just a mith and people just forced to believe or simply believe.

So, I dont think if believe cant be proved is automatically called trivial.

Answer 5

People should be respected. Their beliefs stand or fall on their substance, if they can not otherwise be objectively proven. But that does not mean those beliefs should be trivialized or derided in any way.

Answer 6

Depends on what sort of belief you are talking about. Belief in a greater high power not obtained on this earth, or something as simple as, I have a belief that every time I use a yo-yo it will always come back up. Am I making sense or does this just make sense to me?

Answer 7

"Belief is the psychological state in which an individual is convinced of the truth of a proposition. " A belief is a personal concept - so no - I do not believe any belief is trivial.

Answer 8

"Trivial' like beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

It's purely an opinion and there's nothing trivial about beliefs or faith for that matter.

Answer 9

If that were the case, then Christianity and Islam would be trivial, and there's billions of people in the world would disagree with you.

Answer 10

Nope.
Like I believe that the paradise exists but I havent yet to have any proof for that. This belief means a lot to me.