Doubt: A History summary

So, it’s clear that doubt has a greater place in history than we may have been led to believe, but how old is it? Is doubt specific to one region or is it a global phenomenon?

Actually, since the dawn of time there have been doubters. In fact, the history of doubt can be traced from Ancient Greece through the Roman empire to the Middle Ages, the philosophers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and right up to our own modern era.

But just because doubters have existed across the world and throughout history doesn’t mean they’ve had it easy. Their different perspectives often caused trouble.

That’s because doubt tends to challenge the authorities and ruling classes. Throughout history there are examples of these groups responding with violence and oppression to doubters who threatened their hold on power.

What’s the opposite of doubt? It’s belief, of course. But what happens when these contradictory forces meet?

Religion and the doubters who have thrown it into question throughout history are a prime example. That’s because all religions believe in something, whether it’s the existence of a higher power or an afterlife, verifiable or not. For this reason, religions make a natural target for doubters.

So religions and doubters have often been at odds with each other. But how did religious institutions handle this fierce opposition? The classic adage applies, if you can’t beat them, join them. And if that doesn’t work, make them join you. Religions accomplished this by incorporating doubt, a universally held emotion, into their teachings.

Because everyone, even the most devout believer, is doubtful sometimes and religion couldn’t very well ignore this fact.

So, you know how doubt and religion fought and how they sometimes collaborated, but in certain cases doubt over old doctrines actually formed new religions.

That’s because doubt doesn’t have to be destructive. Some doubters have pointed out the flaws of a religion and used it as a springboard to form a new one they preferred. Take Siddhartha Gautama, better known as the Buddha, who challenged Hinduism and in the process formed a completely new faith.

While the history of doubt and religion is mostly one of difference, there is another field that seems to naturally pair with a doubting mind: science. In fact, doubt is, in some respects, the origin of science.

How?

It wouldn’t be fair to sing the praises of doubt and all the positive effects it has had without mentioning its negative consequences: doubt can lead to desperation.

How?

Being doubtful isn’t necessarily negative. There are a number of positive things and feelings that doubt can bring us. Let’s take another look at Descartes’ philosophical musings.

His apparently depressing and futile exercise actually turned out to have positive results.