David Hume's Theory Of Evidence Essay

As David Hume would say, ‘A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence.’ (David Hume, Humanism.org.uk) Evidence is one of the most applied and used ways of justifying a claim or belief. However, the extent to which evidence is required to support our beliefs varies based on whether the evidence provided is subjective or sparse. Beliefs, on the other hand, are assumed truths. A justified true belief refers to a situation where in order for one to know something, he has to believe it and be able to justify it. This could shape the way we think and behave thus influencing our interpretation of the world around us, and how we respond to circumstances in it. In this essay, I will assess the extent to which evidence is needed to support our

However, due to it being based on a solid system of numbers, theories and evidence, it does not provide room for human opinions and justifications. This could be due to the fact that it only abides by its fixed set of principles. As proof refers to ‘an argument, which convinces other people that something is true.’ (Michael Hutchings, Introduction to mathematical arguments, 1) Therefore, belief holds a lower rank as compared to proof. This will be further elaborated through the examples of conjectures, axioms and

In some religions, many accounts of people who have experienced miracles, near death experiences or even back to life experiences have been documented. Miracles refer to ‘something, which cannot be explained by natural or scientific laws.’ (Nicholas Alchin, 125) It is through miracles that people are able to have a first hand experience, which can strongly be used as evidence towards a religious belief. For example, the bible recounts that by Moses plunging his staff into the red sea, it will part, allowing everyone to pass through it. As the laws of science are unable to explain the reason as to the parting of the red sea, this would definitely be a