Doubt – Why does it exist? Is it good to have? Should it be resolved?

Personally I live constantly doubting everything around and about me. I always wonder if who I am, what I have, where I live, what I do could be changed for the better. How healthy or harmful is it to wonder about all this?

Doubt arises from asking questions on the current state of things and basically from questioning whether a particular thing, situation, fact, or action could be further improved. Doubting leads to change! A doubt is the spark that leads us to seek alternatives and it is not instead – as some might think – the consequence of having alternatives on a table: that is uncertainty.

If doubt is perceived as a natural and necessary mechanism to constantly improve ourselves and our lives, then it is healthy and should be welcomed. Those who do not have doubts believe, with great illusion, that their choices are always the best, hence are not open to discussion, research, challenges, and dialogue.

Doubt, however, can also be dangerous and lead to unhappiness, in which case it is arguably better not to have any. The problem arises when a doubt does not lead to its next stage, when it does not mature and alternatives are not identified or pursued.

If we accept the idea that anything is always improvable, then doubt can only be temporarily solved because a new one will arise soon after. With this in mind, pure constant happiness becomes unattainable. This does not mean that we are destined to live in misery, but rather at different levels of subjective happiness, which varies depending on both the individual’s mind and the importance and number of doubts addressed and resolved.

Interestingly enough, the happiness of him who has no doubt, because convinced of his perfection, is probably higher than the one who admits its limitations and strives to improve. It appears thus to be true that “happiness lies in ignorance” (Giacomo Leopardi).

In summary, doubt emanates from intelligence, it is good and healthy to have it, but it does not have to remain stagnant.

Another important consideration is that while looking at the past is critical to bring forth a doubt, this should always relate to the future. Doubts about the past are symptoms of regrets!

Explained the nature and meaning of doubt, some fascinating considerations about man-made devices to eradicate doubt emerge:

• Faith: the faithful by definition cannot have doubts. Otherwise he would in fact be labelled an agnostic and not a believer.


• Marriage: whether regarded as a religious practice or simply a civil contract, it is a bond intended to be indefinite.

The evident failure of both practices in modern society may be arguably attributable to the fact that forcing the denial of doubt is contrary to human nature!

I am not sure about faith, but there surely are other important reasons to support the idea of marriage. The problem is that not many people today really try to understand them, while also accepting all the necessary sacrifices.