Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
(Hebrews 11:1) KJV
Current popular science (SciPop) propaganda is that “faith is belief without evidence.” However we all have the same evidence (Matty’s razor) so the meme fails as a definition of faith.
The SciPop faith meme is designed to make it seem as if there’s a difference between faith and knowledge (science), and the implicit understanding here is that faith people are stupid but science people are brilliant. However, the meme demonstrates a failure to understand what evidence is and how it’s used which is why it’s designated as propaganda. This also means that the ongoing science vs faith debate is smoke and mirrors designed to conceal the real issues.
We all have the same evidence. Our choice of paradigm determines what we think it’s evidence of.
– Matty’s Razor
Hebrews 11:1 gives us a definition of faith which we use as the basis for our epistemological razor. It tells us that faith is the evidence of things that we can’t see, for example atoms. We can’t see atoms but we have faith that matter is made from atoms because there’s a large body of work which we can point to as evidence. It doesn’t say that we believe in something for which there’s no evidence. Here’s our working definition of faith:
Faith is believing in something that you can’t see, because of evidence.
– Faith, definition
Atoms and molecules are a good example of faith because it’s something which everyone agrees on regardless of what we believe about science or God. Atoms aren’t paradigm-dependent, they’re fact. This means that faith transcends our choice of paradigm. Faith intersects with our choice of paradigm when we consider things which are paradigm-dependent, but we always base our faith on evidence.
Faith, Example 1
- We believe in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ:
- because we have multiple first hand eyewitness accounts and,
- the record of history as to what happened as a result.
- That’s evidence.
Faith, Example 2
- We believe in Noah’s flood:
- because the stratigraphic column, Cambrian through Quaternary, are vast sedimentary deposits with worldwide distribution which is the expected result of a worldwide flood.
- That’s evidence.
Faith isn’t the opposite of knowledge, faith requires knowledge. By the same token, based on the fact that theories are unseen but which we believe because there’s evidence, we can discern that theory is the scientific word for faith.
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