Comments on: An Amusing Example of “If you say it often enough, someone might believe it.” http://tomgpalmer.com/2010/01/05/an-amusing-example-of-if-you-say-it-often-enough-someone-might-believe-it/ Personal website and weblog of the libertarian thinker Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:50:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Roderick T. Long http://tomgpalmer.com/2010/01/05/an-amusing-example-of-if-you-say-it-often-enough-someone-might-believe-it/comment-page-1/#comment-18346 Roderick T. Long Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:46:26 +0000 http://tomgpalmer.com/?p=4578#comment-18346 Well, it's part of common usage only in strictly delimited contexts. People pretty much ONLY use it that way when they're criticising religion (or criticising something AS a religion). But religions themselves don't use it that way, and critics of religion don't use it that way in other contexts. ("I have faith in Bob's honesty" doesn't mean "I have a groundless belief in Bob's honesty.") Well, it’s part of common usage only in strictly delimited contexts. People pretty much ONLY use it that way when they’re criticising religion (or criticising something AS a religion). But religions themselves don’t use it that way, and critics of religion don’t use it that way in other contexts. (“I have faith in Bob’s honesty” doesn’t mean “I have a groundless belief in Bob’s honesty.”)

]]> By: Tom G. Palmer http://tomgpalmer.com/2010/01/05/an-amusing-example-of-if-you-say-it-often-enough-someone-might-believe-it/comment-page-1/#comment-18187 Tom G. Palmer Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:46:37 +0000 http://tomgpalmer.com/?p=4578#comment-18187 Thanks, Rod. I'll print this out and read it. (I'm open minded, but believing something without any evidence for it is a part of the common usage of the term "faith." But I'll print this out and read it at on the exercise bike tonight.) All the best, Tom Thanks, Rod. I’ll print this out and read it. (I’m open minded, but believing something without any evidence for it is a part of the common usage of the term “faith.” But I’ll print this out and read it at on the exercise bike tonight.)

All the best,
Tom

]]> By: Roderick T. Long http://tomgpalmer.com/2010/01/05/an-amusing-example-of-if-you-say-it-often-enough-someone-might-believe-it/comment-page-1/#comment-18171 Roderick T. Long Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:16:48 +0000 http://tomgpalmer.com/?p=4578#comment-18171 Tom, in one of the comments there it sounds like you're saying that not being based on evidence is part of the <em>definition</em> of faith. I don't think this is part of the meaning of the term, either in theology or in ordinary language. I've talked about this here: http://aaeblog.com/2008/01/14/defensor-fidei Tom, in one of the comments there it sounds like you’re saying that not being based on evidence is part of the definition of faith. I don’t think this is part of the meaning of the term, either in theology or in ordinary language. I’ve talked about this here:

http://aaeblog.com/2008/01/14/defensor-fidei

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