A rational unfalsifyable believe

A rational unfalsifyable believe

I’m trying to argue that it is possible for someone rational to hold on to a believe that is unfalsifyable and remain rational.

There are three people in a room. Adam, Cain, and Able. Able was murdered. Adam and Cain was taken into police custody. The investigation was thorough but it remains inconclusive. The technology was not advanced enough to produce conclusive evidence. The arguments are basically you did it, no, you did it.

Adam has a wife, her name is Eve. Eve believed that Adam is innocent. She believed so because she has known Adam very well and the Adam that she knew, wouldn’t commit murder. She uses Adam’s character and her personal relationship with him as evidence.

Cain, trying to defend himself, asked Eve. “What does it take for her to change her believe”. She replied, “show me the video recording, then I would believe”. But there was no video recording. Then she said, “show me any other evidence that is as strong as a video recording”. But there was no such evidence as well.

Cain pointed out, “the evidence that you use for your believe is personal relationship and his character. Then if there are evidence against his character, would you change your mind?”

After some thinking and reflection, she finally said. “Yes, if it could be proven that I have been deceived all these years, then I will believe otherwise.”

All of Adam’s artifact were gathered, collected and analysed. The search was so thorough, there could never be any new evidence about what Adam had did before the custody that could be presented in the future. All points to Adam good character.

Eve was happy. Cain was not. Then he took one step further. He proposed, “Eve, people could change. If Adam change in the future into man of bad character, would you be convinced that he could have been the murderer?”

“Yes, if Adam changed, then I would believe that it is possible for Adam to be the murderer.” Eve said.

Unfortunately, Adam died the next day. Cain said to Eve, “how do you propose that your belief about Adam’s innocence be falsified now?”

“It cannot be falsified now.” Eve replied.

“Then you must be irrational.”

  • Is Eve irrational?

  • Can believing an unfalsifyable believe be rational?

  • Can this argument be extended to believe in God?