Chapter 2: Principles of Faith in Obtaining Physical Knowledge

The scriptures define Faith as follows:

• Faith is the substance of things hoped for―the evidence of things not seen.
  • Joseph Smith said: Faith is the assurance which men have of the existence of things which they have not seen.
• To further clarify: Dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your Faith.
• Therefore, Faith has four parts which are:
  • What do we hope for – or what are our expectations?
  • What evidence do we have to support our expectations?
  • A test to verify our expectations?
  • Perform the test and determine if our Faith is valid or true.

The scientific method is another form of Faith:

• A hypotheses is generated―describing their expectations.
• The hypothesis is based on evidence the scientists have accumulated.
• An experiment is designed.
• The experiment is performed to determine if the hypothesis is valid.

History gives us two examples of men turning Faith into knowledge:

• Benjamin Franklin
• Christopher Columbus
• Both individuals are discussed in the book.

There is a relationship between Learning, Faith and Knowledge?

• The scriptures teach: “Seek learning, even by study and also by Faith.
• This chapter describes how we obtain learning or knowledge by study and Faith.
• The reality is that we all live by Faith everyday of our lives―believers as well as nonbelievers.

We do not need to see things in order to know they exist.

• This chapter describes how students in the physical sciences learn about unseen things such as electricity, gravity, satellite communications, cell phones, remote controls, etc.
• This chapter describes the elements of Faith in starting a new business, engineers creating new products, cooks creating new recipes, and determining whom to marry.

This chapter shows how nonbelievers have used the “seeing is believing” argument to create doubt throughout all ages of mankind, and why the argument is invalid.

Faith is not believing in the absurd; rather, Faith is a process for gaining knowledge in all aspects of life―Physical as well as spiritual!

Question to ponder: Why is it when people study unseen physical things―electricity, electronics, electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields; as a society we shower them with great honor and respect and throw all kinds of accolades in their direction; while at the same time, when people study spiritual things, also unseen; certain members of society shower them with disrespect, belittlement, ridicule, condemnation, and humiliation?

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