Name : Atiqa binti Abu Bakar

Class : MD54

“To what extent do we need evidence to support our beliefs in different areas of
knowledge?”

• How do we base our beliefs in? Do we need evidence to believe in

something?

 Belief is opinion. Usually people would base their belief on evidence,

because thru evidence, it is like confirming the issue and people would
prove it true or false on evidence. Like in a court, evidence is important
as it decides for the future of the defendant. That is why there exist
cases where someone would frame the defendant using evidence,
rather than using witness. But this leads to faith and religion. How
would someone born Muslim or Christian or Buddhist use evidence to
support their religious belief?

• On what grounds would you believe the evidence?

 How do we put our trust in the evidence? To what extent then can you
trust the evidence? In what areas of knowledge can we put our trust
more than the other and why? Is it because we need prove in science to
believe but not in arts? Then what about the atoms, sub-atomic
particles or even the universe? Something you don’t see but you trust
it. Is it because it comes from a reliable source (teacher or scientist)?
Then, does that mean you put your trust in the source rather than the
evidence itself?

• How do you measure the reliability of the evidence- source?

 How reliable is your evidence? Is it reliable because of its source or

because it itself presents a strong case? How then would you measure
the reliability, using language emotions or sense? In maths, the
evidence comes from the genius. To me, Science starts off with
opinions rather than facts. Would you then rely on these people?

• Does the evidence affect your belief emotionally (bias)?

 Humans are always related to emotions. They say it is what makes you
human, because you can feel and sense. But again, does emotion play
a role in your belief? Maybe someone would choose to belief the
evidence because it comes from his mother or father, but not from
some beggar on the street? Then again, beggars are human and they
 are entitled to their reasons. Is it because we are attached emotionally
to our parents that we believe?

• Would it help you in giving a valid reason to support your belief (certainty)?

 Does the existence of evidence help to support your belief? Or does it

makes you wonder and ponder upon your belief? Again, isn’t
questioning good? Does it help you to look for more evidence to support
your belief? How far can it help you be certain? For instance, when I
was a kid, I would believe that the bed that I loved so much is merely a
bed. But now, I’m not that certain because beds are also made from
atoms in which consists of sub-atomic particles? What else could it be
made of tomorrow? My belief has changed over the years.

• In which areas of knowledge would evidence help to justify your belief?

 In which areas evidence functions the most? Scientist use maths as

evidence in science to justify their opinions. But can we use maths to
justify our belief in arts or history? What are beliefs in arts based on
since arts is so subjective? Would it help you in your personal belief?
How does language help in justifying the evidence? But then language
can be manipulative. How does sense then help in justifying the
evidence?

• Can we be sure that that the evidence is not being misuse?

 Evidence is proof. Some people would go to any extent to make people

belief in their opinions and judgment. How can we be sure that the
evidence is purely evidence and not a lie? How true is the evidence
then? Does it verify your belief?

• Does it help you to judge rationally? How does it shape your belief?

 Some people choose to be ignorant. Maybe this is because they have

more faith in their belief rather the evidence itself. Some people choose
not to search for evidence because they get scared that their belief
would be proven wrong. Everyone would want to believe that their
belief and opinions are always right. Can someone take it rationally if
his belief is proven wrong?

• How do we gain and gather evidence?

  Science starts with opinions. How can we then gain evidence? Thru
experiments and observations. But can we make generalization in
science? History is the one area that has and need a lot of evidence.
But it is also the area that has many doubts and errors. How does
evidence help answering the doubt or hinder it?

• How do we prevent biasness and be open when making our judgment and
considering the evidence?

 Human can never run away from biasness.

• Does our belief and opinion affected by external factors like culture?

 Usually someone’s belief is affected by their culture and upbringing.