Faith vs. Reason — What's the Difference?

Complete trust or confidence in someone or something, especially without logical proof.

The power of the mind to think, understand, and form judgments logically.

A system of religious belief.

The principle of rational thought; logic.

A strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof.

A cause, explanation, or justification for an action or event.

Trusting something or someone wholeheartedly.

To think, understand, and form judgments by a process of logic.

The act of believing in something with strong conviction.

Logical and rational thinking.

Faith, derived from Latin fides and Old French feid, is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept. In the context of religion, one can define faith as "belief in a god or in the doctrines or teachings of religion".

Reason is the capacity of consciously applying logic to seek truth and draw conclusions from new or existing information. It is closely associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy, science, language, mathematics, and art, and is normally considered to be a distinguishing ability possessed by humans.

Belief in God or in a set of religious doctrines.

The basis or motive for an action, decision, or conviction

A set of religious doctrines; a body of dogma

A declaration made to explain or justify action, decision, or conviction

Often Faith(Christianity)Secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God's will viewed as a theological virtue.

A fact or cause that explains why something exists or has occurred

Confident or unquestioning belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.

(Logic) A premise, usually the minor premise, of an argument.

Loyalty to a person or thing; allegiance

The capacity for logical, rational, and analytic thought; intelligence

A trust or confidence in the intentions or abilities of a person, object, or ideal from prior empirical evidence.

The limit of what is reasonable

A conviction about abstractions, ideas, or beliefs, without empirical evidence, experience, or observation.

A normal mental state; sanity

A religious or spiritual belief system.

To determine or conclude by logical thinking

An obligation of loyalty or fidelity and the observance of such an obligation.

To persuade or dissuade (someone) with reasons

(obsolete) Credibility or truth.

To use the faculty of reason; think logically

(archaic) really, truly

To talk or argue logically and persuasively

Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting solely and implicitly on his authority and veracity; reliance on testimony.

(Obsolete) To engage in conversation or discussion.

The assent of the mind to the statement or proposition of another, on the ground of the manifest truth of what he utters; firm and earnest belief, on probable evidence of any kind, especially in regard to important moral truth.

A cause:

The belief in the historic truthfulness of the Scripture narrative, and the supernatural origin of its teachings, sometimes called historical and speculative faith.

That which causes something: an efficient cause, a proximate cause.

That which is believed on any subject, whether in science, politics, or religion; especially (Theol.), a system of religious belief of any kind; as, the Jewish or Mohammedan faith; the Christian faith; also, the creed or belief of a Christian society or church.

A motive for an action or a determination.

Fidelity to one's promises, or allegiance to duty, or to a person honored and beloved; loyalty.

An excuse: a thought or a consideration offered in support of a determination or an opinion; that which is offered or accepted as an explanation.

Word or honor pledged; promise given; fidelity; as, he violated his faith.

(logic) A premise placed after its conclusion.

Credibility or truth.

(uncountable) Rational thinking (or the capacity for it); the cognitive faculties, collectively, of conception, judgment, deduction and intuition.

By my faith; in truth; verily.

(obsolete) Something reasonable, in accordance with thought; justice.

A strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny;

Ratio; proportion.

Complete confidence in a person or plan etc;

(intransitive) To deduce or come to a conclusion by being rational

Institution to express belief in a divine power;

(intransitive) To perform a process of deduction or of induction, in order to convince or to confute; to argue.

Loyalty or allegiance to a cause or a person;

To converse; to compare opinions.

(ambitransitive) To arrange and present the reasons for or against; to examine or discuss by arguments; to debate or discuss.

To support with reasons, as a request.

(transitive) To persuade by reasoning or argument.

To overcome or conquer by adducing reasons.

To find by logical process; to explain or justify by reason or argument.

A thought or a consideration offered in support of a determination or an opinion; a just ground for a conclusion or an action; that which is offered or accepted as an explanation; the efficient cause of an occurrence or a phenomenon; a motive for an action or a determination; proof, more or less decisive, for an opinion or a conclusion; principle; efficient cause; final cause; ground of argument.

The faculty or capacity of the human mind by which it is distinguished from the intelligence of the inferior animals; the higher as distinguished from the lower cognitive faculties, sense, imagination, and memory, and in contrast to the feelings and desires. Reason comprises conception, judgment, reasoning, and the intuitional faculty. Specifically, it is the intuitional faculty, or the faculty of first truths, as distinguished from the understanding, which is called the discursive or ratiocinative faculty.

Due exercise of the reasoning faculty; accordance with, or that which is accordant with and ratified by, the mind rightly exercised; right intellectual judgment; clear and fair deductions from true principles; that which is dictated or supported by the common sense of mankind; right conduct; right; propriety; justice.

Ratio; proportion.

To exercise the rational faculty; to deduce inferences from premises; to perform the process of deduction or of induction; to ratiocinate; to reach conclusions by a systematic comparison of facts.

Hence: To carry on a process of deduction or of induction, in order to convince or to confute; to formulate and set forth propositions and the inferences from them; to argue.

To converse; to compare opinions.

To arrange and present the reasons for or against; to examine or discuss by arguments; to debate or discuss; as, I reasoned the matter with my friend.

To support with reasons, as a request.

To persuade by reasoning or argument; as, to reason one into a belief; to reason one out of his plan.

To overcome or conquer by adducing reasons; - with down; as, to reason down a passion.

To find by logical processes; to explain or justify by reason or argument; - usually with out; as, to reason out the causes of the librations of the moon.

A rational motive for a belief or action;

An explanation of the cause of some phenomenon;

The capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination;

The state of having good sense and sound judgment;

A justification for something existing or happening;

A fact that logically justifies some premise or conclusion;

Decide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusion;

Present reasons and arguments

Think logically;

Faith is belief in something without the need for empirical evidence, often associated with religious or spiritual conviction.

Yes, many people integrate both faith and reason into their worldview, seeing them as complementary rather than mutually exclusive.

Not necessarily; faith transcends the realm of empirical evidence and logic, appealing to a different aspect of human experience.

Faith often derives morality from religious teachings and spiritual insight, while reason uses ethical reasoning and philosophical inquiry to determine what is right.

Reason is the capacity for consciously making sense of things, applying logic, and establishing and verifying facts.

While reason is a powerful tool for understanding the world, there are questions and experiences it may not fully explain, leaving room for faith.

While other animals show signs of logic and problem-solving, human reason is unique in its complexity and abstract capabilities.

Yes, for many, faith provides comfort in times of uncertainty, loss, or difficulty, offering hope and a sense of community.

Faith can guide behavior through moral principles, values, and a sense of purpose derived from religious or spiritual beliefs.

Reason is fundamental to science, driving the formulation of hypotheses, experiments, and the interpretation of data to build and refine knowledge.

They are integral to many people's identities, shaping their beliefs, values, and how they relate to the world and others.

Reason allows individuals to make decisions based on logic, evidence, and critical analysis, often leading to more effective and rational outcomes.

This varies among individuals and traditions; some see conflict, while others find that faith and reason enrich each other in understanding spiritual and worldly matters.

Yes, an individual's faith can evolve based on personal experiences, reflections, and interactions with others.

Balancing faith and reason can be challenging, especially when faced with questions that elude empirical explanation or logical understanding, requiring personal reflection and choice.