Ethics of beliefs in the work of Clifford

Ethics of beliefs in the work of Clifford

Ethics of beliefs is the work of Clifford that argues that the individuals in the society should not believe something that they lack evidence about. According to this philosopher, people should not believe in God without understanding the existence of God.

The philosopher calls for society to get sufficient evidence about something before getting to believe in it. It is ethically essential for the communities to believe in something for good reason by studying into details. The question asked is whether people have duties to investigate evidence of their beliefs, and the answer is yes. If one fails to investigate, the person will be blamed for the negative consequences that the person suffers in life. Clifford provides an example of a lack of investigation to emphasize the need to investigate and find out more before believing in something. The case used involves a ship-man who was negligent, failed to examine the state of the ship, and believed that it was okay based on the opinions of contractors and shipbuilders. The ship then sank, causing the deaths of many individuals in the community. If the man investigated, the accident would be avoided, and this also applies to the believers who then have an ethical duty of conducting investigations.

One can be held responsible for what we believe if the beliefs cause serious harm to others. for instance, in the case presented by the philosopher, the shipman was held accountable for the lives of the people who lost their lives. For example, if one believes in something blindly, then he or she should be held responsible for the circumstances that will arise from the belief. The philosophers have two ways of answering the question. One way, some believers have no control of their ideas, and at this level, it is no moral to hold them responsible. However, according to Clifford, believers should be held morally accountable. The philosopher states that even if the belief is fixed, one can control the actions. One can be able to act ethically upright by not being controlled by belief. Based on this, one can be made responsible if the action was due to negligence hence the reason for getting evidence.

Evolution and gravity are some of the scientific phenomena that I believe in because of the scientific knowledge gained through training. However, I do not have enough evidence that would be used to support my belief. I entirely believed because the circumstances of passing my examinations determined. According to Clifford, detailed studies should be conducted to gather evidence and support their belief. I believe in the nature and existence of God, and the belief is based on the collection of information that offers evidence. For example, studying the Bible makes one understand that God is a supernatural being whose existence has ensured the presence of other creatures on earth. Through proper studying of books, I believe that there is enough evidence that supports the existence of God. Through study, I have understood the nature of God as loving, caring, and the reason why things exist the way they do. The world is defined by the existence of God as the supernatural human being. Based on these arguments, it is true that one should study in detail to find evidence on the reasons to believe in something. Finding proof plays a role in preventing harm in the future.