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5/23/2017 5:11 pm  #1


What is the best way to deal with doubt?

Be it intellectual, emotional, spiritual, etc.

 

5/23/2017 10:19 pm  #2


Re: What is the best way to deal with doubt?

As I mentioned somewhere in another thread, I have found being grounded in a solid community with wise leadership from a priest or pastor to be indispensable.

 

5/23/2017 10:59 pm  #3


Re: What is the best way to deal with doubt?

Proclus wrote:

As I mentioned somewhere in another thread, I have found being grounded in a solid community with wise leadership from a priest or pastor to be indispensable.

I was thinking about a spiritual director...

     Thread Starter
 

5/24/2017 1:22 am  #4


Re: What is the best way to deal with doubt?

I don't think there is one best way. It will depend on what is in doubt and on the doubtor.

What is the most central doubt for you?

 

5/24/2017 2:18 am  #5


Re: What is the best way to deal with doubt?

Jeremy Taylor wrote:

I don't think there is one best way. It will depend on what is in doubt and on the doubtor.

What is the most central doubt for you?

A whole host of things which span from the existence of God to the divinity of Christ. Currently trying to understand why an essentially ordered series must terminate in a being that is pure act.

     Thread Starter
 

5/26/2017 8:25 am  #6


Re: What is the best way to deal with doubt?

I also have come to think that most doubt arises from sources other than philosophical reflection (which is distinct from saying that it is non-rational).  I think this is true whatever side of an issue you take.  More people begin to seriously doubt theism because they go through a crisis in their lives than because they read a book by JL Mackie; but also more atheists start to wonder whether there may be a God after all because they have a religious experience rather than reading one of Fesser's books.  (The converse, however, does happen too, of course.)

I bring this up because I think philosophically minded people frequently have a difficult time being honest with themselves about this element of their psychology.  They find themselves struggling with doubt so they double-down on reading arguments.  Really, the issue is that their daughter was just diagnosed with cancer or they are frustrated for failing to overcome a protracted habit of sin or, for the atheist, a longing to be loved begins to be met by a Christian community or a good priest.  I think being honest about these diverse motivations for why we think what we think can only make us better philosophers.

 

6/01/2017 7:14 pm  #7


Re: What is the best way to deal with doubt?

Can I make a recommendation that's probably going to be controversial? Take a step back from all these piffling little “proofs”. It's more important that you understand what's going on in them* than that you triumph over every cyberschmuck that raises an objection.

(You're probably not going to find the kind of deep intellectual satisfaction you seem to be looking for by listing arguments and then rushing backwards to find ways to hold them together. (No matter how popular Craig has made doing so.))

*Their “underlying metaphysics”, if you want to sound a bit fancy.

 

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