We humans are all the time getting knocked by storms of doubts of all kinds. All this is because we live in a world of opponents and enemies; so, there is no escape from doubts. Therefore, we suspect people’s honesty; genuineness in their love; even find something fishy in our worker’s working ways and in things what they say.
Doubt is a natural viewpoint of human reasoning. It is used as a tool for investigating; by police when there is insufficient information or conflicting evidence to catch criminals; it is made use of by researchers, as it fans the flame of discovery; the mysteries of the outer world and thus help in their intellectual growth with new knowledge; and it is also used by different social groups to influence people who have grown with a particular ideology, prompting them to view other thoughts of different social groups and thus make them to change their old beliefs with new viewpoints.
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It is said, ‘Life with doubt; is a life with worry’. Therefore, when doubt cannot be clarified in everyday domestic situations, it becomes necessary to seek others’ viewpoints by consulting trusted friends, family members, seeking guidance from religious leaders or even from professional help can be beneficial. But if one continues to believe doubtful incidents without sufficient evidence, it can lead to unnecessary worry and thus remain hanging in assumed opinion.
Doubt is not necessarily being sinful. A notable example of doubt is in the Bible. Thomas, was one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. He earned his nickname, ‘Doubting Thomas’ because he initially doubted the resurrection of Jesus until he saw and touched Jesus’ wounds. (John 20: 24-29).
Socrates says, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Which means; we must question doubt and examine our own beliefs before accepting them as facts. Blind belief is dangerous. Embrace or hug doubt for precaution sake. It can prevent you from rash decisions. If you believe in whatever people say without an inch of doubt; it leads to disastrous effect. This can be seen on YouTube, the Konkani short film, ‘Camil’ by Peter de Macazana.
Doubt is advantageous when faced with doubtful incidents; it prevents rash decisions and encourages you to find options. For example, assuming doubt about the reliability of a financial investment; it prompts one to conduct more thorough inquires before funding one’s money to others.
One of the basic principles of the criminal justice is that the ‘benefit of doubt must always be extended in favour of the accused’; suggesting – ‘that the accused is innocent until proved guilty’; also widely held principle is: – ‘It is better to forgive a thousand culprits than to punish one innocent person’.
Self-doubt or lack of confidence in one’s ability can lead to personal growth. When in doubt about one’s capacity or the powers of one’s talents, it can induce one to seek out new information out of curiosity; and view new angles about one’s doubt. Such walking questioner in one’s mind, can lead to self-awareness; and ultimately, one’s personal progress.
