What is faith?

Philosophy Forums The Sandbox
1

Pick the closest definition to your own.

  • Faith is ‘believing’ in what cannot be seen because of what can be seen.
  • is believing in something with no evidence.
  • is believing in something with little evidence.
  • is believing in something based on a feeling.
  • is believing in something without full/complete/sufficient evidence.
  • is utter bullshit.
  • other.
0 voters

What is faith? Or what do you think the definition is?

2

1, 3, and 5 are the same thing. So are 2, 4, and probably 6.

3

It’s a psychological phenonemon which will cause attatchmen to other people or anything, as it can be a very irrational emotion. Trhogh reason we can be swayed to have faith in anything, and only by enlightmen our faith can be deminished.

4

Faith is the belief without evidence or in the face of evidence.

Or the denial of observation so that a certain belief can be preserved.

5

Faith ≡ maintaining your chosen course despite serious obstacles.

6

That’s called “perseverance”, James.

7

Perseverance requires faith.

8

Not necessarily. Besides, the point is that ‘perseverance’ is not the same as ‘faith’.

9

Perseverence isn’t the same as faith, you’re right, but I think it does require faith, at the very least the faith in ones’self to overcome the obstacles in your path.

10

When does it not require faith?

11

When you have sufficient evidence to believe you’re taking the proper course of action, and/or that you can accomplish the task at hand.

12

But isn’t deciding when something is sufficient or not an act of faith?

13

I think it’s an act of reason that we can verify empirically.

14

And that is, of course, something completely different than religious faith.

15

…did I miss something?

Are we discussing religion?

16

What about being able to accomplish the task at hand?

17

I think you can have evidential reasons to believe you are suited for the task.

18

You have faith …
that the task is important.
that the task is worth doing.
that you will not be hit by a bus before completing the task.
that someone will not sabotage your efforts.
etc.
etc.

19

Uh, OK. I didn’t say you weren’t allowed to have faith in anything.

20

This OP belongs in the Hall of Questions. Just as 3 other recent posts by the same poster/mod do…
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=180973
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=180558
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=180958

These are all one liner questions that break the first two rules, and if they had even a bit more substance they’d all belong in the Religion section. What gives? Why is shit like this flying?