Certain Doubt

"You can only apprehend the Infinite by a faculty that is superior to reason." ~ Plotinus, Mafor philosopher of the ancient world (204/50-270 CE)

“That just can’t be true!” Elias rocked back in his seat and folded his arms in disbelief. His college biology professor, Dr Hosea, peered at him over his dark, horn-rimmed glasses. “Why can’t it be true?” the wizen old professor asked. “This is the 21^st century!” Elias shot back. “How can you say we don’t know where babies come from?”

Dr. Hosea smiled to himself. “I never said we didn’t know where babies come from. I said, we didn’t know what caused them to be born.” The professor secretly liked his sometimes impulsive student. His agile mind and quick-wittedness reminded Dr. Hosea of when he was a young biology student. But the boy’s edginess could also be irritating at times.

He scanned the rest of the class. “It’s two o’clock. We’ll resume again on Thursday,” he announced. “Don’t forget that your projects are due. Elias, could you stop on your way out?”

Elias slung his backpack over his shoulder and sauntered up to Dr. Hosea. “What’s up, Professor?” he asked casually. “Mostly everything,” the professor replied as he placed his notes in his briefcase. Elias didn’t get the joke.

The professor snapped his briefcase shut and set it upright on the desk. “Elias, you are a bright young man and will probably make a pretty good research scientist someday.” This sudden observation by “the Prof” caught Elias off-guard. “But to accomplish that, you need to work on your thinking processes; otherwise you will be perennially frustrated.”

The young man tried to interject a comment but Dr. Hosea pressed on. “All of us are aware from whence babies come. We also know that the birthing process is caused by a hormone which is released into the mother’s system which triggers labor. What we don’t know is how the brain knows when to tell the body to excrete the hormone. In other words, how does the brain know the baby is ready to be born?”

“Well, thanks for that clarification,” Elias responded as he adjusted his backpack and headed for the door.

“That’s not my point.” Dr. Hosea said quickly, stopping Elias with his words. Elias turned to face the old man once more. “What is the point?” he asked impatiently.

“The point is, if you are going to be a first-rate researcher, you are going to have to learn to embrace uncertainty.” There was a glint in the old man’s eye. “Seriously?” Elias shot back. “Science is about certainty, not uncertainty!”

“Au contraire, it is uncertainty which keeps us in business. The more unanswered questions we have, the better off we are. Uncertainty is not our enemy; it is our ally. If you are going to be a great researcher, you must learn not only to embrace uncertainty, but to welcome it.”

Elias wondered if he had unwittingly stumbled into Philosophy 101. Maybe his old professor had finally gone “round the bend,” mentally speaking. “I thought it was the scientist’s job to eliminate questions and uncertainty. If I am to embrace them as you say, what do I rely on?”

Without a word Dr. Hosea picked up his battered old briefcase and headed for the door. At the doorway, he stopped and turned to face Elias. “What do you rely on when you have more questions than answers? Faith, my boy! Rely on faith!” With that, he disappeared out the door, leaving behind a perplexed Elias wondering what he meant.

The Letter to the Hebrews describes faith as “the evidence of things unseen” (Hebrews 11:1). Science and religion are often seen as being at odds with one another. Science relies on what can be proven, measured, tested and observed. Faith, on the other hand, relies on none of these things.

We can offer explanations of why we have faith in an unseen entity we refer to as “God,” but empirical proof of this entity is sparse, if not non-existent. As the writer of Hebrews puts it, our evidence that God exists is our faith in this unseen God.

Ironically, those of us who have faith in a supreme being often don’t seem to tolerate uncertainty very well. When unanswered questions arise, we are quick to employ literal interpretations of scripture or church law. Historically, the result of this approach has been the justification of atrocities such as slavery and the subjugation of women.

Science, on the other hand, approaches unanswered questions with relish. They are seen as opportunities to grow, rather than distractions which must be quickly dispatched.

Uncertainty is not a threat to faith. Christians, like scientists should also see questions and uncertainty as opportunities for growth – as a means of deepening our faith.

Dr. Hosea’s response to Elias is prophetic. “The more unanswered questions we have, the better off we are. Uncertainty is not our enemy, it is our ally. If [we] are going to be a [great Christian we] must learn, not only to embrace uncertainty, but to welcome it.”

Dear God: Help me to be satisfied with the things I know and the things I don’t know.

“In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.” ~Blaise Pascal, French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Christian philosopher (1623-1662)

©2013 James E. Carper. All rights reserved.