Sorta Certain?

I have always struggled with the concept of absolute certainty that a majority of people seem to possess on certain issues, beliefs and faiths. Maybe for me it is a morality or character flaw that I possess, but there are very few things I am certain of (including understanding people’s certainty — confused?) .

I believe there is too much to know and too much that is unknown to ever be completely, absolutely certain. Knowledge is infinite and we will never be able to grasp it all. What new discovery will make us look at something completely different, that we thought we understood just a nano second ago?

I will cite again the fact that at one point all of the leading “scientists” of the day would explain to you all of the facts on why the earth was flat. It took someone with the approach of acknowledging that, “Yes the facts as they are understood now point to the world being flat, but I have been looking at this orange……” Here is a fun idea to chew on. What if we still got it wrong? What if the world is actually shaped like a trapezoid? Something to think about. I know some of you will say that, “Wait we have all of the scientific things that point to its shape being round, including seeing it from space!” I would ask you, how is that different than when the scientists could see the flat horizon and present their facts?

I am willing to make the statement, “Based on what I know now, I believe …”, but I know that my belief may change as I continue to learn and grow. In fact for those of you that know me, I mean really know me, it is that initial moment, the adrenalin rush of learning that new thing that changes the way I look at the world, which really makes my motor run. It is why I continuously seek out the new in all that I do.

I am finishing up a book by Christopher Hitchens and he cites a quote which eloquently addresses this concept for me. To reiterate my point, it doesn’t mean that I know it is right, but for now and based on what I know now it clearly states how I feel about this issue.

“The true value of man is not determined by his possession, supposed or real of truth but rather by his sincere exertion to get to the truth. It is not possession of the truth but rather the pursuit of truth by which he extends his powers and in which his ever growing perfectibility is to be had. Possession makes one passive, indolent and proud.”  – Gotthold Lessing, Anti-Goeze 1778

I know that my feelings about this are controversial and my inquisitive nature, asking questions about things so that I can continue to learn, can make people uncomfortable and imply that in some way I am questioning their belief or maybe better stated, implying they are wrong for how they feel about something. That is not my intention at all.

When I say above that I struggle with certainty, it is not to say that people that have it are wrong. It is to say that I don’t understand it, I don’t possess it and that I am not wired that way.

Peace Out

Bill

~ by b44hanson on February 19, 2009.