The certainty of doubt

Infectious doubt

We also tend to seek constancy and consistency in our thoughts and beliefs. When doubt arises, it can challenge existing beliefs or create inconsistencies, leading to a state of cognitive dissonance that we seek to resolve. This can be particularly destabilizing when it involves challenging deeply held beliefs, values, or personal identities. Our attachment to these beliefs and identities provides us with a sense of stability, meaning, and belonging. When doubt arises, it can threaten these core aspects of the self, triggering emotional reactions and a strong desire to protect and defend one's beliefs or identity. Doubt is often associated with the fear of making wrong decisions or choices. Human beings tend to avoid mistakes and strive for accuracy. Doubt introduces a feeling of vulnerability and fear of making mistakes, which leads individuals to experience anxiety and hesitation in decision-making processes.

Certainty and control

Human beings have a fundamental need for certainty and security, which provides a sense of stability and reduces anxiety. The discomfort and impact of doubt can be attributed to human psychology's inherent desire for stability and security. While doubt can cause discomfort and uncertainty, it also serves important cognitive functions in our daily lives. Doubt stimulates critical thinking, open-mindedness, and the exploration of other perspectives, which essentially leads us to learn, grow, and decide. Managing doubt and its impact requires individuals to develop skills to tolerate uncertainty, engage in self-reflection, and use cognitive strategies to navigate the complexities of doubt in different aspects of life.

History of doubt

The history of doubt in philosophy is rich and spans different periods and philosophical traditions. Doubt has played an important role in shaping philosophical inquiry and has been a driving force in the exploration of knowledge, truth, skepticism, and epistemology (the study of knowledge). Socrates, an emblematic figure of ancient philosophy, emphasized the importance of questioning and doubting one's beliefs in the quest for wisdom. His method of inquiry, known as the Socratic method, involved engaging in critical dialogue to question and examine assumptions, leading to a better understanding of issues. In the 17th century, René Descartes brought doubt to the forefront of philosophical inquiry with his method of systematic doubt. In his work “Meditations on First Philosophy,” Descartes engaged in radical doubt, questioning the reliability of sense perceptions and even the existence of an external world. He also sought to find a foundation for knowledge that could withstand doubt, ultimately arriving at his famous saying "Cogito, ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am). Pyrrhonism, a school of skepticism founded by Pyrrho of Elis in ancient Greece, held that true knowledge is impossible to achieve due to the inherent limitations of human perception and cognition. This theory was further explored by philosophers such as David Hume, Kant, Locke, etc. and, later, Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus explored the existential doubt that arises from the simple reality of the human condition.  

Sartre et al delved into the challenges of finding meaning and purpose in a seemingly absurd and uncertain world, emphasizing the importance of confronting and embracing existential doubt as a catalyst for freedom and authenticity of the individual. 

Doubt remains a central topic, and philosophers continue to explore questions related to the nature of knowledge, the criteria for justified belief, and the limits of human understanding. Throughout history, doubt has played a vital role in challenging established beliefs, sparking intellectual questions, and opening the way to new ideas and understandings. It continues to be an integral part of philosophical discourse as thinkers grapple with the complexities of knowledge, truth, and human understanding, but it can backfire.