They Think; Therefore They Know? Part 1

Have you ever had a discussion with a religious person who simply assumes that because he or she believes in god it is a proven fact? The conversation does not include ‘I believe’ or ‘I think’ - it’s all about ‘God says’ and ‘God does’. It’s important and healthy to challenge the assumption that a belief is a fact. This will help remind believers that not everyone sees things the way they do. In this article, I will provide a method for critical analysis of a statement in order to determine whether it is provable scientific fact or opinion. I then apply this logic to a famous quote about god.

In today's world, fact and fiction are two very different things. We understand that television and movies are fictional, except for documentaries and perhaps reality shows. But fact and opinion are also widely different - in the community of people free of supernatural belief. The definition of fact for the purposes of this article is “a pragmatic truth, a statement that can, at least in theory, be checked and either confirmed or denied”. In the context of our society, what we know as provable facts are very different from individual opinions.

Check back next week for Part 2!