Is Seeing Believing? Let's Philosophize Together
Motivational speakers / writers are like 'fictionists' because they sometimes create imaginary images of an utopian world. They do all within their power to make sure they boost your morale or your 'spirit' is lifted.
These people have beautiful words and sure know how to get your attention. I must say that they know how to lift human 'spirit'.
Each time i hear people say: seeing is believing, I try to understand the rationale behind these words. What do they mean by the statement? Is it that for them to believe anything, they must see it or they believe things only after seeing it. Whichever way you want to look at it, the important words are 'seeing' and 'believing'.
Let's look at some of the problems associated with such reasoning.
We can simply ask them how they knew their parents are truly their biological parents? Have they seen a DNA result to believe their parents are truly their biological parents?
We can also ask how they knew their birthdays were truly the days they were born? Is there any record to confirm, for instance, that i was actually born on March 18th? My mom actually told me that and showed me the birth certificate. This does not mean i was actually born on 18th of March.
We can also ask, how do they know that they are truly a Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, African, American descendants?
Being Black or White does not say anything about whether you are African or American, Yoruba or Igbo. We can then ask: are they truly from where their parents claimed they came from?
The point is, these people never thought those questions are very vital to their claim. Or can you categorically tell me that you know your present parents are truly your parents?
Were you rationally conscious (thinking) when you were born to have known the day and year you were born?
You didn't see it, you were told! Your birth certificate will even complicate the matter! Your parents did that for you and they could have made a mistake in the process.
We can also ask, does seeing and believing makes the thing in question true or false?
We all read that God created Heaven and Earth but we did not see Him when He was creating these things yet 'we' (or some of us) believe He did. Why did you believe there is a God and at the same time accepted he created you, Heaven and Earth when you haven't physically see Him?
That you are seeing something does not mean you should believe it. You can take a cue from magicians. Seeing can in fact be deceptive.
I would love to read your comments on this topic.
Thanks for reading my blog. Your boy @smyle the philosopher.
...and it ended just when the enjoyment climaxed! I hope to read more about this topic from you someday.
Seeing like you said is deceptive... Little wonder philosophers say that our senses may fail us. In natural terms our eyes which is a sense organ, in bad conditions can send wrong or false signal to the brain, making it to believe what multitude is seen as false. So also the case of magic as rightly claimed.
We can not believe all we see, and we may not see all we believe; this I think is the best way to view and live life. It lessens unhealthy arguments and foster the quest for knowledge.
Thanks @smyle for the piece. This will be resteemed outright.
I'm Tomfreeman!
Wow,, while i am march 19
I think you have i leverage on what you see,,
Seeing is a hope for the real version of what you want..
It actually depend on the view we see
Capturing the best view aids believe..
I think truly not all things we see we should believe in,
Nice post
You can believe yet you didnt see.But for doubting Thomases, seeing is believing
Great Point bro
Well said....truly sometimes seeing may not be believing. As you said.
So to sum it up, you are agruing for Nihilism. And with that in mind no argument made about any topic can be viewed as true, that in effect removed the validity of an argument or debate to be had.
That is not to say that your questions does not have any merit. But to know anything at all, one must stand on some basic assumptions and some basic trust. Otherwise you wil end up living in 100% chaos of not being capable of even believing yourself. (is your thoughts even yours? is the body you seem to control yours? do you actually have control over it?)
And thats not even taking into account the language in witch you speak and mostly formulate your thinking in. So to not cause an overwhelming chaos; yes you can believe the acounts of your parrents of who you are related to and when you was born ect, aslong as you can also can back it up with your own memorys of always having lived with your family that goes back to atleast before 6 years of age (depending on how old you currently are).
But thn there is the quesiton of to what degree it matters to you in how you choose to identify yourself. And what you know about who you are beond this physical existance. This is where it matters less what "race" you are as thats what some call "the pcysical shell" we inhabit.
Going back to your headline; some whould say, and i agree, that its not that seeing is believing, rather Believing is seeing. Because it is not until you come to some realisation, that you then see. That is obvies in understanding, but not obvies at all in seeing physical objects, yet in reality, it is the same. But that is a far more complex subject of understanding.
So in conclution to this I guess my question back to you is: what whould you say is your core asumptions you base your reality on?
(I could probably go on for along time on various directions on this, but I have to draw the line somewhere ;) )
Nice one my brother.i always enjoy your post.thanks alot
To the world seeing is believing, but to those who believe in God believing is seeing.