If you believe in things without hard evidence, do you still consider yourself a "reasonable" person?

Question

Saying Miller Beer tastes gross is not a statement of belief but a fact of your physiological state. Someday we may very well be able to examine and identify your taste buds and/or brain, and predict exactly what foods you will like and dislike and why. And change them if you want.

No one can admit they're unreasonable? I try not to be but I probably am on occasion.

You could check your friend's laundry basket.

Circumstantial evidence is only an impetus to continued exploration, not a basis to form any part of a philosophy of life.

Answer 1

Depends on how big a belief. If a friend told me he wore green trousers yesterday, I'd believe it without hard evidence. The God thing, however...

Answer 2

"Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast" The White Queen, Through The Looking Glass

Of course, any reasonable person would say so ;-)

I tend to search out facts to support my beliefs but I imagine all sorts of people have beliefs without 'hard evidence', even when they believe they *do* have solid evidence.

Take for example, continental drift, in geology, which is part of the larger plate tectonic theory.

While many scientists from around the world believed a supercontinent, Pangea, existed at one time, American scientists, for the most part, disagreed with this hypothesis for many years. It was not until after World War II when more geophysical evidence became available (due, in part, to the military releasing information to the scientific community concerning ocean floor topography) that continental drift became widely accepted by scientists around the world.

Although both are psychological states, belief and delusions are different things. Belief isn't necessarily fixed, nor is it pathological.

I happen to think certain religions or philosophies cause people to become delusional. I think that religious education messes with the logical part of the mind so much that it can affect some people permanently. I don't have any consistent evidence to support this claim, but I believe it is possible.

Perhaps THE LIGHT that people talk about seeing is a short circuit of neurons. I always thought everyone saw light. ;-)

Answer 3

Yes, I believe Miller beer tastes gross. I have no hard evidence of this other than my experience, but I think it's quite reasonable for me to say this.

LOL, my point is that some like Miller Beer, some don't. Why that is can't be proven no matter how many taste buds are sampled. I really do believe Miller beer is gross. How can you prove studying my tastebuds would change that? Yes, it's most likely psychological.

Answer 4

Yes,read Isaiah 1:18

Answer 5

If you don't start to search for evidence do you consider yourself a reasonable intelligent person?
The police would start looking for evidence once you say something unbelievable like "my neighbor has a nuke". Why can't you search for proves once one say something unbelievable to you like: "you are a sinner", "there is eternal life" or "by Jesus you can be saved"?

Answer 6

Jesus is a solid rock.
Does that count?

He is the foundation that the whole real church (not Catholic) is built on. That's pretty hard evidence isn't it?

1+1 equals 2 unless you're dealing in quantum physics and then all bets are off. Is that reasoning?

E me when ya got the answer.
Will talk
Gypsy Priest

Answer 7

I think I,m very reasonable, I met God and his Son and
let them into my heart , and now we talk every day
I heard there were unreasonalble people out there
who would not meet them,,,how rude.

Answer 8

As long as you preface your spoken beliefs with information that it is indeed personal gnosis.

Answer 9

There is circumstantial evidence. With enough of it you can make your case.

Answer 10

No, I consider my self Free to believe what I want.