Beliefs are some ideas which we are most likely to consider as truth. It is most certain that our beliefs are the product of society, environment, and our upbringing. Whatever we see around gets added into our belief system. It could include the wrongly considered facts, non-evidential arguments, fallible reasonings, corrupt intentions and wishful entities. In other words, our beliefs are not completely ours but an amalgamation of the people we see mostly around, mentors, family, society, community, and others. Whatever ideas we could process and considered to be true are most likely to turn into our beliefs. So having a truest form of belief sounds very tricky.

Impact of our Beliefs

Since our ideas are completely based on external influences and internal perception, and thus it is most likely to be full of errors. Though the processing could eliminate the conditionings from the belief system. However, the processing doesn’t eliminate all impurities and negativities that is engrossed in our belief system. Our beliefs could cause wrong impressions on others. In outside world, our personal beliefs could impact others mind in a larger ways. Whatever words, phrases, sentences we utter could bring a major change in society. It could impact society to either consider our facts or take a decisions based on it. With all this ideas, we could reach to a conclusion that beliefs are not a private matter. It means our beliefs are the common property of ourself and world. It is like inheritance coming out from the world towards the world.

Our beliefs could have a tremendous impact on others-

1. Forming a knowledge system.
2. Practicing an ideology.
3. Examining truth.
4. Adds to the perspectives.
5. Listing as an example.
6. Causing an action.

Our Beliefs- Our Responsibility

Belief has the tendency to cause action in a certain way. Belief is not something disconnected from action. Since our beliefs could turn into the actions and actions could impact either our lifestyle or lives of others. So we should be very careful in choosing our belief. Our belief should not come out without any evidence. We should have a strong support for holding one’s belief. Our belief should come out of inner motivations. It should be a well examined idea.

Now let’s see Clifford’s evidential argument, where it is clearly stated why our beliefs are important and how it could impact ethical decision making.

Clifford- Evidential argument

“The Ethics of Belief” is the most influential essay of British philosopher William Kingdon Clifford. Here Clifford has explored the ethical dimensions of beliefs that one holds. Clifford stated that individual has an ethical obligation and responsibility to based their beliefs on sufficient evidence. Clifford has reminded us of the importance of beliefs. He says that our beliefs are the foundation for our actions. Our beliefs determines the types of decisions we take in our life. Our belief is the input which results into valuable output of life. Our beliefs has the potentiality to impact not just our own life but also the life of others. Clifford stated some principle of the ethics of belief- which is based on the idea of sufficient evidence. The individual belief projects individual honesty. Clifford concludes that holding a responsible and evidence based beliefs could contribute towards the well being of all.

Now let’s see an important example by Clifford that makes it clear on why beliefs matter to us.

Clifford has referred one example where he talks about a ship owner and pointed out the responsibility of the ship owner to rightly form his beliefs for the safety of all passengers. If ship owner keeps the false beliefs that he could manage with the ship overloading, despite knowing the fact that his ship is old. Then, he is risking the lives of all the passengers. In case the ship sinks, the reason would totally lie on the irresponsible beliefs of ship owner. Even if the ship won’t sink, then it undertakes the responsibility of the ship owner to timely do the servicing as well as avoid overloading for the safety of all. In this example, Clifford tried to justify the moral responsibility of ship owner.

Many people have criticized the Clifford’s arguments and said that his theory is completely based on empirical evidence. Many have claimed about the beliefs that could not be based on empirical reasonings like ethics, aesthetics, mystics and religious experiences. There are some beliefs which lack empirical reasoning but still is true to one’s understanding, like intuitive beliefs, personal experiences, risk taking capacities.

Conclusion

Though the criticism on holding right belief and its limitations may sound valid, but when it comes the matter of other’s life, we should be very careful in forming one’s beliefs. Ignoring the warnings, taking the risks, intuitive based decisions could be fatal for others. Thus, the beliefs which could impact others life should be very strongly formed. In short, our beliefs could impact our actions and bring trouble to our lives. Therefore, it is very important to choose our beliefs wisely.

It is very important that we don’t pass our belief to next generation without sufficient evidence. The reasons are simple-

1. Belief leads to Knowledge
2. Knowledge leads to Truth
3. Truth leads to Evidence
4. Evidence leads to Trust
5. Trust leads to action
   
   When we pass wrong belief, we lead someone towards wrong action. Despite our intentions are right, the impact of wrong beliefs could be large. Thus, it is very important to be mindful of one’s belief. Our belief defines our ideology which in case defines the real aspects of us. We should be very clear for the beliefs that we are holding as it could bring ethical implications, exchange of ideas, and impactful action.

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