You Gotta Have Faith!

Every sect, as far as reason will help them, gladly use it; but when it fails them they cry out that this is a matter of faith, and above reason.
John Locke


I respect faith, but doubt is what gets you an education.
Wilson Mizner


A favorite response from students when confronted with the search for evidence related to philosophical questions (especially the question of God’s existence) is to look towards faith. If they believe there is no evidence that can substantiate their belief in God their response is “that’s why you have to have faith.” But, when you think about it this is an odd response. In no other area of life could this possibly make sense but for their belief in God they seem to think it does. How would we respond to someone researching cold fusion for example who when presented with the lack of evidence in the phenomena simply responds by saying “well, that’s why you have to have faith.” Why do we have to have faith in something that is not validated by evidence?

I don’t have a truly satisfying answer to this question but I would like to hear from some who say this about their reasoning behind the claim. I can guess at some possible explanations which I put forward below but these are only guesses.

A common justification for having faith might be that one has to believe in something. But, this misses the possibility of believing in something that is validated by evidence. If the need to believe is strong isn’t it also accompanied by the desire to believe what is true? While we don’t have any guarantees that our current explanations for how the world works are absolutely true we do have enough validating evidence to warrant belief. And, given the evidence belief in these explanations is surely much more justifiable than belief in something which utterly lacks validating evidence.

Another possible justification for belief could be that it is comforting. This justification could help explain the objection raised above that one should believe according to the evidence. People may not want to believe in explanations that are validated by evidence because they are not comforting. An explanation that asserts that we are all loved by a supreme being who has a plan for us may be more comforting but does that make it true? Surely not. But, then how comforting can it be to believe in something one suspects may not be true?

But, maybe that’s just it. Faith tells the believer that what they believe in is true never mind what their doubts or the evidence might indicate. Faith allows one to push on through that doubt by making a virtue of the lack of evidence. As Tertullian said “it is certain, because impossible.” This sounds immediately satisfying to the believer unless they make the mistake of asking a very ordinary and reasonable question. Does this rule of believing because something is impossible only apply to religious beliefs or can it be applied to other areas of life? If the answer comes back that it only applies to religious beliefs the next question is: Why?

Why can’t we apply this to other equally important areas of life including our relationships with others, our healthcare, our careers? It would clearly be absurd to apply this rule to these areas of life but why does it apply to an area of life which purports to explain such ultimate questions as the origin of the universe and life on Earth; questions for which we have quite plausible (not to say possible) explanations? Why does the belief in God need to obvious crutch of “believe because it is impossible.” Something to think about.