Overheard at Table 2: Two Teds Talking Irrational Faith

Joseph Dorrell:
I would like to propose the motion that faith is inherently irrational.

I consider rationality (in a nutshell) to be:
'An accurate apportionment of belief in a statement concerning the objective nature of reality, with respect to the available evidence.'

I can think of no better definition of faith than the exact opposite of this:
'A grossly inaccurate apportionment of belief in a statement concerning the objective nature of reality, with respect to the available evidence.'

However, I invite those who have faith, and profess it as a virtue, to submit their definition of faith.

Verble Gherulous:
Faith is not 'inherently' irrational, which is to say, faith in itself is not based on irrational thought.
Faith, in the truly Christian sense, only means that one can state with certainty that what has not yet happened has in fact already happened.

OK that does sound irrational, but let me try to put it this way: you've heard the phrase " Dress for the job you want, not for the oneyou have.". Imagine you are so certain that you will get that greeat job, that faith guides you to dress the part, and diligently to prepare for those responsibilities, to learn what you need to know so that one day,when everybody elseknows what you knew all along, that you were going to be in that position, you are ready. That's faith.

Irrational faith is just going into the office, plunking yourself down in the big chair and issuing wild orders until security comes to take you away.


http://www.ted.com/conversations/13792/is_faith_inherently_irrational.html