Knowledge Limits Essay, Research Paper

Over history, the human race has striven for truth and understanding logic. When

trying to understand this, a person approaches the philosophical question,

?What can I know?? With this philosophical question comes the epic battle

between whether or not a person should base an opinion on empicism or

rationalism. I believe that I need to be shown facts and logic to understand

something, however I also rely on my senses to strengthen my self. First of all

empicism is when a person bases what they have seen on pure senses, or when a

person just relies on their five senses to explain what they see around them.

However, if a person relies on logic and fact, that person is a rationalist. I

believe that a person should use facts and logic to explain events, simply

because basing something on sight alone is not reliable, and there is nothing to

back up ones theory. There are many instances that support my reason to choose

rationalism over empiricism. Take the apparent sightings of UFO?s (undefined

flying object) people have claimed to see these objects, yet there is little

evidence that proves their claim. The question arises how can a person prove

this? The answer is they cannot because there are not facts or logic that back

it up? Nevertheless, there are the evident sightings of the ?lock ness

monster,? which again is only based on empiciam. Since all of sighting are

based on a person?s senses. Then, there is the major question of the existence

of god. I firmly believe that there is a holy God, and this supernatural being

is involved in our every day life. This God is holy and will punish the people

that wrong the society, and will praise the goodness. I also believe that this

God was the creator of the universe, and the reality that we live in today.

Thesis: I believe that rational and logical thinking should be used to solve

problems, because 1) Rationalism better explains problems then empiricism, 2)

That miracles have reasons and can be explained, in spite of 1) If God is holy

then why is there suffering, 2) What evidence proves the existences of God. The

holy God can explain miracles and other phenomenal events, because everything

has a reason. Miracles happen to praise the good and helps destroy the bad. When

a person looks closely at the Bible they may see many stories that involve

phenomenal events. With this God have miracles take place for a purpose, in

order for the suffering and the bad to be destroyed. Take for example, Moses

parting the Red Sea, in this phenomenal event he allowed his people to walk

through the parted Sea. When doing this Moses cleared away the water in order

for his people to get to the other side, clearly this is a miracle. The story

about the parting of the Red Sea has several different versions, but is

generally the same. With this God seems to have miracles happen for a purpose to

help the good. In conclusion to this thought I believe that God is the creator

of miracles and phenomenal events. I believe that I am a rationalist and a

person should only rely on logic and facts to understand problems. I believe

that when a person thinks with a rational mind they are able to comprehend

better. Using an empirical mind a person is just focused on their senses and

then that person is limited to just their senses. With this a person cannot use

their logical mind. Therefore that person is unable to make an accurate

assumption. In conclusion a person should use logical reasoning to solve

problems, because logic can be more accurate then a persons senses. An opponent

might question how can God be holy and yet have all the sufferings in today?s

society. My reason to this objection is that God works in mysterious ways and by

having suffering now may save people in the long run. For instances if God kills

a person now, maybe in a couple years that person took the suffering away from

many others. Also, there is another reason why God would have suffering, is to

punish another person for wrongdoing. God creates sufferings in his world, in

order to help people realize their mistakes so they do not make the same

mistakes twice. As a holy God he must punish people for sinning, to help praise

the ?good? citizens as well. Also, another question an opponent might

suggest is that how do you know there is a God? The Bible is a written document

that states the there is a God, and it helps better understand the existences of

the Supreme Being. Also, going back to the thought of miracles, science cannot

explain miracles. Furthermore there has to be a Supreme Being creating these

miracles. With these examples, I firmly believe that there is a God, and this

being is the creator of the universe.