What Is Belief, and What Do You Believe?

Drake 207 What Is Belief, and What Do You Believe? Epistemology: Defining Knowledge Terms

"e·pis·te·mol·o·gy: The branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity." (http://www.bartleby.com/61/28/E0182800.html)

Brief Writing Assignment: Most of us routinely loosely interchange words like knowledge, truth, theory, faith, belief, and fact. But what is the accurate difference between Knowing something to be true vs. Believing something to be true or Having faith that something is true? Similarly, what is the difference between Knowing something to be true and Knowing something to be a fact? Is there a valid difference between any of these words, and is that difference important?

How we persuade and are persuaded centers heavily around the similarities and differences between these words, the concepts each represents, and how our personal views of the world privilege the different concepts. In other words, some people value faith more than theory, some knowledge more than truth etc.

1) Figure out the actual definitions of these words. What constitutes knowledge, truth, theory, faith, belief, and fact?

2) Analyze our own personal belief system in reference to the accurate meanings of each word/concept.

To do so, complete the following exercises in (typed) writing:

1) Before looking in a dictionary, try to define each word as best you can. Describe the relevant differences between each concept.

2) Locate and accurately paraphrase the different dictionary definitions for each word. If you get ambitious, consider looking in a Philosophy or Science dictionary or encyclopedia.

3) Rate each word/concept in terms of its subjectivity and objectivity. Does the term/concept describe subject or objective ways of knowing or kinds of information, or, perhaps, a little of both? Which is the most subjective, which the most objective?

4) Describe your “personal relationship” (for lack of a better, less touchy-feely phrase) to the different concepts. Consider the following questions and answer each in a four or so sentence response; for each, refer to specific examples that support and perhaps also challenge your opinion: a) Does science deal in the world of knowledge, truth, faith, belief, or fact? Do the majority of common, currently accepted scientific theories accurately describe the real or “true nature” of the world and existence? b) Can writers, scientists, philosophers, and people in general understand the “true” nature of our world, our existence, love? c) Which of these concepts do you personally regard the highest, or, what, in your own personal world view, constitutes “truth”? In other words, how and why do we know when something is true?