Human life is the most challenging in nature despite the presence of technology and modern skills to help people solve their problems. Human beings need to think and act after making wise decisions. For that reason, people’s ability to think, believe, and make rational decisions outweighs all other aspects of animals like physical strength and lethal poisons. However, debate continues to rage between science and religion despite the countless evidence to prove opponents wrong. One of the recent arguments is based on William Kingdon Clifford and his views on the suitability of belief based on evidence.
Clifford points out one controversial issue that human beings should not base their beliefs and faith on things that do not have evidence. However, this argument is, without doubt, one of the endless debates that will continue to dominate learning institutions and scholars’ organizations. It is evident that human beings base more than half their lives on hope and faith. For instance, when people leave their offices in the evening they are sure to get home safe and meet their family members. They dine and go to bed expecting to wake up early and prepare for the following day’s duties. However, none of these people has evidence that the following day they will be okay. Therefore, they base their hopes on the belief that all will be well with them, and they will wake up to continue with their daily activities.
Secondly, science and technology have led to the production of drugs meant to cure diseases all over the world. When people fall sick and go to healthcare facilities they hope to get well after treatment. Even though doctors’ efforts and drugs may be evidence that patients will recover, this depends on various issues. Some patients die as a result of common ailments that have vaccines and drugs to cure them. Therefore, it surprises that even though there is evidence to prove that these drugs have prevented and cured the disease. No one can explain why people die yet they get quality treatment and healthcare services.
Moreover, science is based on research and evidence as crucial ways of understanding phenomena and not belief in the existence of super natural powers. However, the same researchers and laboratories produce conflicting results with regard to an occurrence. Scientists have varying approaches to events and even if they use same research methods they are bound to come up with different answers. One basic factor that evidence based beliefs fail to uncover is the origin of human beings. Even though, scientists have sufficient evidence to prove the origin of human beings it is surprising how they fail to uncover the origin of life on earth. Therefore, scientific and common knowledge is suspicious and thus unreliable to offer solutions or foretell events.
In addition, belief is based on personal assumptions with regard to past experiences or future expectations. Clifford argues that people must have evidence before believing in anything. However, it is evident that some people will believe his arguments by simply reading what he wrote or listening to people talking about his arguments. They will have no evidence to support Clifford’s arguments, but by believing in his arguments, they develop their personal opinions towards various aspects in the society.
One of the illustrations Clifford offers to dispute belief without evidence is The Sailor’s events. He argues that the sailor put the life of his crew in danger by navigating the waters without confidence that his ship will make it to the other end. Contrary to his arguments life is full of accidents and incidences that change the sequence of events. Sometimes motorists take their vehicles to garages and ensure they are tested and approved as roadworthy. However, along the way a motorist can hit a pedestrian or drive into a ditch due to poor visibility. Therefore, faith plays crucial roles in promoting a belief that nothing terrible will happen along the way. As a result, people do all they can to make sure their lives are safe but at the same time base their belief on their instincts that all will be well.
Clifford has strong convictions that human beings must have sufficient evidence before believing in anything. However, there are occasions where emergencies occur; therefore, this does not give them time to reason on what they should do next. Even though, people secure their homesteads against burglars and fit alarms, keep dogs and recruit qualified guards they still keep other weapons like short guns in their drawers. This means that even though they have physical assurance that their homes are safe their emotions and psychologies betray them. There is no need of keeping a short gun in the house if anyone believes they have adequate security against robbers and burglars.
Clifford’s arguments are without doubt based on few isolated cases of human lives. However, human beliefs play vital roles in determining their future lives. People cannot afford to live happily if they do not have faith and belief in various events.