I had a conversation once with a friend once where we were talking about what we believed. We asked each other questions and some of my answers were, “I don’t know.” and some were “This I believe.” His answers were all, “I don’t know.” He was unwilling or unable to state, “This I believe.” about anything. In his mind the declarative statement was one he couldn’t step back from once it was made. He didn’t want that restriction on him. The conversation was frustrating for me as a result. We had no no base from which to explore, so to speak.
Having that ‘Eureka!’ moment is a great moment in life. Finding something, whether material, intellectual or spiritual, is wonderful. But the declaration of finality can also shut off possibilities. It’s overdone and it gets in the way of further discovery often times because your mind closes off.
But I also have the attitude that it’s ok to say you believe something. You aren’t making a vow that you will always believe it. You are simply saying, “As of now, I am starting with this as true. I might find it’s not true in the future, and if I do, that is fine.”Scientists do that. They start with certain assumptions of truth. They are willing to test those assumptions to see if they hold up. They don’t test them every day, all the time. Many of their assumptions will be with them all their lives. But a good scientist is always willing to entertain the notion that something they believe may not be true. They are willing to say “hmmm…that’s funny. I wonder if…”
Are you willing to do that in the science that is your life?