Faith

Faith is the emotional investment in an unproven belief. Through history, faith seems to be the substitute explanation for natural phenomena yet to be explained scientifically. However, the existence of a scientific proof is unlikely to be able to diminish the intensity of the individual’s faith. A scientist may be able to explain some occurrences of spiritual phenomena to an occult fanatic but it is very unlikely that the latter will lose his interests in ghosts and UFOs. However, faith can be amplified by the process of gaining knowledge about the particular subject area. The strength of faith varies, depending on the individual and their views upon the matter (such as ghost, occultism and religion). If said occult fanatic finds out more and more examples of natural phenomena, he or she would very likely believe in it even more blindly. Thus, there’s no rational investment in the concept of Faith.

Because of its nature of being highly emotional rather than rational, Faith should not be used as a direct way of gaining knowledge. However, Faith can assist in the process of gaining knowledge indirectly. Scientists and Mathematicians would have to believe in the theory being true in order to go on justifying it and turn it into a justified true belief – that is, knowledge.

In many cases, Faith can help shaping the individual’s sense of moral and actions. It can help forming society in a positive way, as seen by how religions provide a form of moral guidance to its believers. In Catholicism, these are shown by the 10 Commandments that prevent its believers from murder, stealing, adultery, etc. However, these have its own limitations, as wars between religions break out because both sides’ faith/religion collides. Wars caused by the Catholics such as the Crusade or Reconquista are examples of bloodshed caused by Faith.

On the other hand, Faith can provide emotional supports in difficult times, as it can provide hope, the main reason for people to keep on striving to get through their situations. The recent movie ‘127 hours’ portraying a real story in which a person is trapped, immobile in the mountains for such amount of time, believing that he could get through the seemingly hopeless situation.