Most people are realists (believe in an objective physical world), whether they would like to think they are or not. I mean, just out of practical necessity, one can't spend their whole lives thinking:
"What if this is a dream?" "What if I'm in the matrix" "What if this is an illusion?"
Sooner or later, "reality" would kick their butts. They would have to eat or work or sleep, etc.
So, wrapping all of this up, do you think it takes faith to complete reason? In other words, do you think we need to have faith that we are in a REAL, objective, reality, in order to simply live our lives day-to-day, even though we cannot PROVE it with 100% certitude? Faith that our senses truly tell us what is "out there", faith that we aren't being deceived in any way?
Without a beginning point of some kind, some given, wouldn't everything digress into an infinite regress?
Thoughts...
2007-09-10 11:04:57 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
“When you have come to the edge of all light that you know And are about to drop off into the darkness of the unknown, Faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or You will be taught to fly”
~Patrick Overton quotes
Everyone has faith in something... whether it is themselves, the God of the universe, or some other god. Martin Luther had an interesting perspective. He didn't think that it was anything humans did at all.... that Instead, faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God.
So it is hard for me to answer your question..."Does it take faith to complete reason?" I don't know...
Oscar Wilde said, "Scepticism is the beginning of Faith.” Reason is the power of comprehending, inferring, or thinking especially in orderly rational ways. Faith definitely goes beyond reason. But I suppose you have to start with reason to accept the notion of Faith.
I think my final answer is no... faith doesn't complete reason. Reason is compled in faith.
2007-09-10 12:32:13 · answer #1 · answered by bwlobo 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No. Reason is one thing; faith is another. And I do not know what it means here to complete reason.
An analogy will help. "Do you believe that cars are necessary to complete green lawns?"
How could cars complete green lawns? And, what does it mean to complete green lawns, in the first place?
Now, if you ask whether some faith might be required to carry through with actualizing experience of certain things that reason points to, then yes. A bit of a leap sometimes is required to go into action, in order to come around to more fully understanding something so that the faith part is no longer necessary. Let's call that the turnaround.
If there is no such turnaround, then for all practical purposes it ranks with blind faith (which is not even rooted in good reason). Most likely IT does NOT do whatever you mean when you say "complete reason."
2007-09-10 19:27:43 · answer #2 · answered by Theron Q. Ramacharaka Panchadasi 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
By realists, I think you mean materialists or possibly pragmatists.
Now, to answer your question, no, you don't need to have 'faith' that we live in a 'real' world, whatever that means, in order to 'complete reason', whatever that means.
I think a better way to frame your questions is to ask the contrapositive, something along the lines of: Do we need proof that our world is exactly what we think it is in order to continue living in it?
In this regard, our understanding of 'reality' is constantly changing. But you know that, as do most educated people. As time marches on we put the pieces to the puzzle together with more precision and we form a clearer vision of the cosmos and our place within it.
But I think you're trying to get at ultimate origins or 'first causes'. Can I keep living my day-to-day life without knowing the ultimate question: "Why is there something instead of nothing?". That lumps together all the philosophical and existential questions you might have "what's my purpose?', "why are we here?", "what's the point?", "what is objective reality and can i trust that it is truly objective?", etc. I wish I could answer these, but even the greatest minds in history haven't been able to.
Even faith doesn't answer those questions. If you believe in God, all faith does is say "We can't understand God's plan, but we have faith in it." So faith, in the theological sense, isn't faith in knowing 'reality', its faith that God knows 'reality'.
All theology is doing is placing the burden on God's shoulders by taking it off theirs a cop-out if you ask me, which stunts intellectual growth.
In conclusion, can you live without knowing the answers to these questions? Well you're doing it right now.
All I can say is keep doing it, and try to find your own answers. I'll leave you with one parting quote:
“Don't search for the answers that cannot be given to you now. Love the questions. Live the questions. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.” -- R.M. Rilke, Paraphrased from Letters to a Young Poet, 1903
2007-09-10 11:54:35 · answer #3 · answered by haig_sh 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Faith is easier said than done. In reality, action preceeds words and we move about not heeding reason. Not a lot of people has faith even as small as a mustard seed.
What people actually do is follow what many does. Then when an inkling of something wrong tickles them, that's when the question of faith comes in. "Am I really sure that there is something wrong?" Most often, the question is brushed off and the questioner goes on following what many does.
People who has faith enough to stir the waters is usually labeled as crazy. When absolution has passed, crazy is called genius.
Remember, to have faith means to go forth blindy. Faith requires no guarantees.
Therefore, you don't need faith to live within the present circumstance. But to live a step higher, to be in a higher consciousness, that's when you will need faith. Then the question, "Do you have it?"
2007-09-10 11:36:19 · answer #4 · answered by medea 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Faith can be a good step towards this but there are numerous factors in life that could possibly bring one to a complete/true realizm, and as of yet I don;t think that anyone has reached this goal. However it is an interesting one to work towards so long as a person does not ovber think it and just tales life in one step at a time.
I have lots of info that I think you will find quite helpful and enlightening:
http://ecowellness.multiply.com/ for excellent inspirational info within my blog to help not only our world and its creatures, but to also open peoples hearts and minds to many amazing wonders that life has to offer. I also have lots of info in my blog to help fuel peoples imaginations to many possibilities that can be found only in the minds eye.
Along with lots of environmental info, amazing environmental pictures and videos (These videos show the beauty of this world and what life can be like if people take the time to appreciate life’s true beauty).
Let us all strive for a greener/brighter future by helping to create a solid foundation for future generations to build upon, so we can hand them a beautiful world, filled with never ending awe and wonders!!
Where peoples differences and uniqueness are accepted, where we all live as one, helping one another so that we can all play our own mysteriously beautiful melodies in the never ending, awe inspiring, song of life :-)
I truly have faith in humanity and believe that someday our lives and the world in which we live will truly be transformed for the better.
2007-09-10 14:08:29 · answer #5 · answered by Qweemawva Anzorla Qwartoon (Male) 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There are two quotes that I love to live by:
"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.
Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.
But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it". Buddha
And the second is one stated by a saint, " Three things are necessary for the salvation of man: to know what he ought to believe; to know what he ought to desire; and to know what he ought to do." Thomas Aquinas
Those are my two and the second is my all time favorite. It shows that reason should lead one to believe, desire and to know what one should do to gain salvation.
God bless and have a great day.
2007-09-11 01:47:51 · answer #6 · answered by Perhaps I love you more 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No , perception is more important to reason so that you will have the truth rather than illusions to guide you. Faith can be a trap that limits what you can accept as truth.
2007-09-10 13:02:34 · answer #7 · answered by simonzer0 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Certitude is one of the great conceits of modernity. John Henry Newman, in his "Grammar of Assent" would be an important reference in regards to your question.
2007-09-10 11:57:34 · answer #8 · answered by Timaeus 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In my opinion, Faith is necessary for everything. Nothing good happens without it.
2007-09-10 11:43:24 · answer #9 · answered by April First 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. There are those who are not able to comprehend the concepts you have presented, yet wake up daily to a very similar reality to the one we are living.
2007-09-10 11:23:36 · answer #10 · answered by seli 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋