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Leap of faith

A leap of faith is a philosophical and theological concept referring to the act of committing oneself passionately to a belief, particularly in religious truths, despite the absence of rational proof or empirical evidence, often embracing what appears paradoxical or absurd.^[1] The idea is most closely associated with the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855), who explored it as a subjective, existential decision essential to authentic Christian existence, though he never employed the exact English phrase "leap of faith" in his original Danish writings.^[2]^[3] Kierkegaard's development of the concept draws from earlier thinkers, such as the 18th-century philosopher Gotthold Ephraim Lessing's notion of an unbridgeable "ugly broad ditch" between historical facts and eternal truths, which requires a qualitative leap to cross.^[4] In his 1843 book Fear and Trembling, published under the pseudonym Johannes de silentio, Kierkegaard illustrates the leap through the biblical narrative of Abraham's near-sacrifice of his son Isaac, portraying faith as a "double movement": first, an infinite resignation of the finite (Abraham's willingness to lose Isaac), followed by a redemptive belief "by virtue of the absurd" that God would restore what was renounced, such as providing a substitute or even a new Isaac.^[2] This positions the "knight of faith"—exemplified by Abraham—as one who transcends universal ethical norms through a private, incommunicable relation to the divine, marked by joy amid tension and risk, distinct from the resigned "knight of infinite resignation."^[2] Kierkegaard further elaborates the leap in his 1846 work Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments, written under the pseudonym Johannes Climacus, where it emerges as the passionate, subjective appropriation of Christianity's "absolute paradox"—the incarnation of God in historical time—which defies objective certainty and mediation.^[1] Here, the leap signifies a halt or qualitative transition in existence, from reflective abstraction to decisive action, where faith thrives on uncertainty: "Without risk, no faith," as increasing objective evidence inversely reduces the inward passion required for genuine belief.^[1] Kierkegaard critiques Hegelian philosophy for attempting to systematize faith rationally, arguing instead that becoming a Christian demands this risky, individual leap into subjectivity, where truth is not mere correspondence but passionate commitment.^[1] Beyond Kierkegaard, the leap of faith has profoundly shaped existentialist thought and modern theology, influencing figures like Martin Heidegger and Jean-Paul Sartre in their emphasis on authentic choice amid absurdity, as well as 20th-century theologians who view it as a model for belief in a post-rational world.^[4] In contemporary usage, the term extends to secular contexts, denoting bold decisions in personal, ethical, or professional spheres without full assurance, though its core remains tied to Kierkegaard's insistence on faith as a prodigious, paradoxical venture beyond reason's grasp.^[4]

Definition and Everyday Usage

Core Meaning

The leap of faith refers to an act of committing oneself to a belief, particularly in religious or existential contexts, in the absence of empirical proof or logical certainty, often embracing inherent risk or paradox. This concept underscores a deliberate transcendence of rational boundaries, where belief is not derived from evidence but chosen as a passionate, subjective engagement with the unknown.^[5] The concept of the leap of faith emerged in 19th-century philosophical discourse, rooted in Danish thought with Søren Kierkegaard, and the English phrase was popularized through 20th-century translations of existential ideas, though the exact wording does not appear in original Danish texts. It translates conceptual notions akin to a bold movement into belief, capturing the tension between doubt and conviction without direct etymological precursors in earlier languages; the phrase is sometimes rendered from Latin as "saltus fidei," but this is a modern translation.^[6]^[7]^[8] Unlike fideism, which broadly posits faith as independent of or superior to reason, or blind faith, which implies unreflective acceptance, the leap of faith emphasizes a conscious, impassioned decision to bridge the gap between finite understanding and infinite possibility. This distinguishes it as an active choice amid uncertainty, rather than passive adherence or outright rejection of rationality.^[9] A paradigmatic illustration is the biblical account of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac, as commanded by God in Genesis 22, embodying the leap through unquestioning obedience despite apparent ethical contradiction and lack of rational justification.^[5]

Common Idiomatic Applications

In contemporary language, the phrase "leap of faith" commonly describes decisions made amid uncertainty, relying on hope, intuition, or trust rather than complete evidence, such as pursuing a career change or starting a business. For instance, individuals often use it to refer to quitting a stable job to launch an entrepreneurial venture, as in the example: "A leap of faith led me to quit my job and start my own business," highlighting the risk involved in acting without guaranteed outcomes. Similarly, relocating to a new city for professional opportunities exemplifies this idiom, where one commits despite unknowns about adaptation or success.^[8] In personal relationships, the term metaphorically captures committing to a partner or marriage based on emotional conviction over empirical certainty, such as overcoming doubts to deepen a bond. Psychological research supports this application, noting that stable romantic relationships often involve a "leap of faith" through positive illusions, where partners idealize each other to foster commitment and satisfaction despite imperfections. This usage underscores trust as a foundational element in interpersonal dynamics.^[10] The idiom has permeated literature, film, and media as a cultural motif for bold, transformative actions. A prominent example is the 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where the protagonist faces an illusory chasm and must step forward in belief to cross an invisible bridge, a scene that has become an enduring icon of trusting beyond visible proof and is frequently referenced in discussions of faith and adventure. In literature, Flannery O'Connor's works, such as her short stories exploring Southern Gothic themes, invoke the concept to depict characters confronting moral or spiritual uncertainties, reinforcing its role in narratives of personal revelation.^[11]^[12] Since the mid-20th century, "leap of faith" has evolved into self-help and motivational rhetoric, encouraging proactive steps toward goals despite ambiguity. This shift gained traction in popular discourse during the civil rights era, with figures like Martin Luther King Jr. emphasizing action rooted in belief, illustrating faith as a catalyst for social and personal progress. In modern self-help literature and speeches, the phrase promotes resilience in entrepreneurship and life transitions, framing uncertainty as an opportunity for growth rather than a barrier.^[13] Public perception of the phrase often blends religious and secular interpretations, with surveys indicating broader views of faith's role in society. For example, a 2025 Pew Research Center poll found that 59% of U.S. adults hold positive views of religion's influence, suggesting that idiomatic uses of "leap of faith" resonate across belief systems as a symbol of hopeful action in uncertain times. While specific polls on the phrase itself are limited, this data reflects its dual appeal in both spiritual and everyday contexts.^[14]

Historical and Philosophical Origins

Pre-Kierkegaardian Roots

The concept of a "leap of faith" finds early precursors in ancient Christian apologetics, particularly through the paradoxical embrace of beliefs that defy rational scrutiny. Around 200 CE, Tertullian, in his treatise De Carne Christi, articulated a defense of the incarnation that affirmed the certainty of core Christian doctrines despite their apparent improbability to opponents, stating "It is certain, because impossible" (certum est, quia impossibile est) to counter heretical views of Christ's phantasmic flesh. This approach employed rational probabilistic arguments, influencing subsequent theological debates on the interplay of faith and reason.^[15]^[16] In the medieval period, these ideas evolved through fideistic currents that prioritized faith over reason in resolving theological tensions. William of Ockham (c. 1287–1347), a Franciscan philosopher, advanced a strict separation between the domains of faith and reason, arguing that theological truths are accessible solely through divine revelation and faith, not demonstrative knowledge.^[17] Ockham's fideism, evident in works like his Commentary on the Sentences, rejected attempts to prove articles of faith philosophically, insisting that reason could only prepare the ground for belief but never compel it, thus laying groundwork for viewing faith as an act of willful commitment amid uncertainty.^[18] This stance contrasted with more integrative scholastic approaches, such as those of Thomas Aquinas, and underscored faith's role in bridging gaps left by rational inquiry. The Enlightenment era intensified these tensions, juxtaposing probabilistic arguments for belief against pure rationalism. Blaise Pascal, in his Pensées (published posthumously in 1670), proposed the "Wager" as a pragmatic rationale for faith: given the infinite stakes of eternal reward versus finite earthly costs, one ought to commit to belief in God even without conclusive proof, framing faith as a calculated risk in the absence of certainty.^[19] This differed sharply from René Descartes' methodical doubt in Meditations on First Philosophy (1641), which sought foundational certainty through reason alone, yet Pascal's approach highlighted faith's necessity when reason falters, influencing later decision-theoretic views of religious commitment.^[20] Gotthold Ephraim Lessing further emphasized the challenge in his 1777 essay "On the Proof of the Spirit and of Power," describing an "ugly broad ditch" that separates the accidental truths of history (such as miracles) from the necessary truths of reason, arguing that historical evidence provides only probability and cannot compel eternal belief, thus requiring a qualitative leap of faith to bridge the gap.^[4] Parallel developments in non-Western traditions offer analogous emphases on faith's supra-rational dimension. In 11th-century Islamic thought, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (1058–1111), in works like The Incoherence of the Philosophers (Tahafut al-Falasifa), critiqued rationalist excesses of philosophers like Avicenna, advocating for iman (faith) as an inner conviction and surrender (taslim) that transcends intellectual demonstration, particularly within Sufi mysticism.^[21] Al-Ghazali's integration of Sufi practices in The Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya Ulum al-Din) portrayed faith as a transformative leap involving intuitive certainty and devotion beyond discursive reason, echoing Christian fideism while rooting it in experiential union with the divine.^[22]

Kierkegaard's Central Formulation

Søren Kierkegaard formulated the concept of the leap of faith during the Danish Golden Age (c. 1800–1850), a period of cultural and intellectual vibrancy in Copenhagen marked by the rise of Hegelian philosophy and a complacent state church that had integrated rational speculation into Lutheran doctrine, diminishing the passionate, individual dimension of religious commitment. Kierkegaard reacted sharply against this Hegelian rationalism, which he viewed as an abstract system of mediation that overlooked the existential paradoxes of human life and faith, reducing the divine to logical reconciliation rather than a personal, risky encounter. In works like Concluding Unscientific Postscript, he critiqued speculative thinkers for forgetting "what it is to be a human being," advocating instead for subjective passion as essential to authentic existence.^[23] Kierkegaard's central exploration of the leap appears in Fear and Trembling (1843), written under the pseudonym Johannes de Silentio, which uses the biblical narrative from Genesis 22—where God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac—as a paradigm for faith's radical nature. Abraham's silent obedience exemplifies the "teleological suspension of the ethical," a paradoxical movement where universal moral imperatives, such as the duty not to kill one's child, are subordinated to a higher, incomprehensible divine telos, positioning the individual in an absolute relation to the absolute that transcends ethical universality. This suspension is not a rejection of ethics but its elevation through faith, as Abraham risks everything without seeking communal justification or rational mediation.^[24] Within this framework, Kierkegaard distinguishes the "knight of infinite resignation" from the "knight of faith." The knight of infinite resignation achieves a tragic peace by renouncing finite desires—such as Abraham's hope of retaining Isaac—accepting loss as the price of spiritual elevation, yet remaining bound to the infinite's separation from the temporal world. In contrast, the knight of faith performs the leap by embracing the absurd: after resignation, they passionately believe that the finite and infinite can be reconciled, regaining what was lost "in virtue of the absurd," as Abraham trusts God's promise despite the impending sacrifice. This leap is not intellectual but a passionate, existential venture, requiring infinite courage to move beyond reflection and probability, embodying faith as a miracle accessible through human passion rather than genius or heroism.^[24] Kierkegaard further develops the leap in Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments (1846), published under the pseudonym Johannes Climacus, where it becomes integral to the pursuit of subjective truth. Here, the leap signifies the individual's existential commitment to Christianity, encapsulated in the dictum "truth is subjectivity," which prioritizes inward passion and personal risk over objective proofs or systematic knowledge. Unlike objective truth, which concerns approximation to facts, subjective truth demands becoming what one believes, venturing into uncertainty with infinite interest, as faith cannot be mediated by reason but requires a decisive, passionate appropriation of the paradoxical.^[25] Kierkegaard's personal experiences profoundly informed this formulation, particularly his broken engagement to Regine Olsen in 1841, which he later reflected upon as a lived embodiment of faith's paradox. Believing himself called to a solitary religious vocation incompatible with marriage, Kierkegaard ended the relationship despite deep love, mirroring Abraham's isolation in prioritizing an absolute divine relation over ethical and social expectations. This act of renunciation, followed by a leap toward trusting God's incomprehensible will, underscored the loneliness of authentic faith, where the individual must endure separation from the universal to achieve paradoxical reconciliation.^[26]

Key Interpretations and Extensions

In Existentialist Thought

In Jean-Paul Sartre's Being and Nothingness (1943), concepts of authentic commitment to radical human freedom stand in opposition to mauvaise foi (bad faith), wherein individuals evade responsibility by adopting predefined social roles or denying their capacity for self-definition. Sartre posits that genuine existence demands a resolute embrace of freedom, where one assumes full accountability for choices without appealing to external essences or excuses. This secular ethic of individual agency echoes broader existential themes, including those from Kierkegaard, transforming theological paradigms into emphases on personal agency. This contrast highlights bad faith as a flight from the anguish of liberty, while the authentic choice embraces it as the essence of being human. Albert Camus, in The Myth of Sisyphus (1942), secularizes the leap of faith by applying it to the confrontation with life's absurdity—the irreconcilable clash between human desire for meaning and the silent, indifferent universe.^[27] Unlike Kierkegaard's religious resolution, Camus rejects the "philosophical suicide" of leaping toward God, instead advocating a defiant leap that affirms existence through revolt, passion, and solidarity, as embodied in the figure of Sisyphus who consciously accepts his futile labor.^[27] This adaptation echoes Kierkegaard's emphasis on passionate commitment but relocates it firmly in atheistic humanism, where the leap rejects despair or escape in favor of lucid persistence amid meaninglessness.^[27] Martin Heidegger draws on Kierkegaardian themes in Being and Time (1927), extending ideas akin to the leap of faith through the authentic disclosure of Dasein (human existence), particularly via Entschlossenheit (resoluteness), which calls for a bold projection into one's finite possibilities in the face of death's anxiety.^[28] This existential resolve counters the inauthentic drift of everydayness (das Man), urging a decisive turn toward genuine self-ownership and temporality, where faith-like resolve uncovers the primordial meaning of Being. Heidegger's formulation thus extends Kierkegaard's ideas beyond religious paradox to the ontological structure of care and thrownness.^[28] Influenced by precursors like Franz Kafka's The Trial (1925), post-World War II existentialism adapted the leap of faith to grapple with widespread alienation and the horrors of modernity, portraying it as an act of unwavering commitment in a fragmented world stripped of traditional certainties.^[29] In Kafka's novel, the protagonist Josef K.'s dogged navigation of an opaque, bureaucratic nightmare exemplifies a faith-like adherence to action despite incomprehensible absurdity, mirroring existential calls to authenticity amid isolation.^[30] Such interpretations, influenced by Sartre and Camus, framed the leap as a bulwark against postwar disillusionment, emphasizing personal resolve over systemic despair.^[29]

By Other Philosophers and Theologians

William James, in his 1896 essay "The Will to Believe," provided a pragmatic defense of faith as a voluntary decision in situations where evidence is ambiguous or inconclusive. He argued that certain beliefs, particularly religious ones, present "genuine options" that are living (appealing as real possibilities), forced (no neutral alternative exists), and momentous (involving significant stakes). In such cases, James contended, the "passional nature"—emotions, desires, and will—may lawfully influence belief formation, as intellectual evidence alone cannot resolve the matter. This approach frames faith not as irrational but as a pragmatic leap that can create its own verification, such as in personal relationships where trust fosters reality. For instance, James illustrated how belief in an eternal moral order might enable one to act as if it exists, thereby realizing its benefits in ambiguous existential dilemmas.^[31] Karl Barth's neo-orthodox theology, articulated in his 1919 commentary The Epistle to the Romans, reinterprets revelation as a divine initiative that demands a corresponding human leap of faith. Barth portrayed God's self-disclosure, exemplified in Christ's resurrection, as an "impossible possibility"—an event transcending historical verification and rational proof, yet requiring human obedience as a "step into space." This leap bridges the infinite chasm between divine otherness and human finitude, emphasizing faith as a response to God's sovereign act rather than human achievement. Influenced by Kierkegaard but distinct in its dialectical emphasis, Barth's view underscores revelation's paradox: it is wholly other, yet invites participatory faith that disrupts naturalistic worldviews.^[4] In analytic philosophy of religion, Richard Swinburne's probabilistic arguments offer an endorsement of faith grounded in rational evidence, contrasting with purely volitional leaps. In The Existence of God (1979), Swinburne employs Bayesian probability to assess theism's likelihood, weighing inductive evidence from cosmology, consciousness, and morality against alternatives like atheism. He argues that theism provides a simpler, more explanatory hypothesis for the universe's fine-tuning and order, rendering belief in God more probable than not—thus justifying faith without requiring a blind jump. Swinburne has critiqued fideistic leaps as directionless and irrational, insisting instead that reason, as a divine gift, should guide belief toward the most probable truth, even if certainty remains elusive.^[32] This approach integrates faith with evidentialism, portraying it as a reasoned commitment amid incomplete data. Feminist and liberation theologians, such as Rosemary Radford Ruether, critique traditional leaps of faith for perpetuating patriarchal structures while advocating inclusive acts of faith that promote liberation. In Sexism and God-Talk: Toward a Feminist Theology (1983), Ruether exposes how male-centered doctrines—such as the subordination of women in creation narratives and the maleness of Christ—distort Christian faith into tools of domination, requiring women to leap into self-abnegation. She argues that authentic faith must reject these biases, drawing on women's experiences to reconstruct theology as a prophetic critique of oppression, envisioning God-talk that affirms mutual human dignity across genders. This inclusive faith act involves a collective leap toward egalitarian communities, integrating redemption with social justice and ecological harmony, thereby transforming theology from patriarchal reinforcement to emancipatory praxis.^[33]^[34]

Criticisms and Contemporary Relevance

Rational and Empirical Critiques

David Hume, an empiricist philosopher, critiqued religious faith in his Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (1779), where the character Philo argues that beliefs grounded in faith rather than sensory evidence erode the primacy of reason as the foundation of knowledge. Hume contended that natural religion's arguments from design fail to provide empirical warrant, rendering leaps of faith intellectually unjustified and potentially harmful by prioritizing subjective conviction over observable reality.^[35] Logical positivism extended this empiricist skepticism by dismissing faith-based propositions as cognitively insignificant. In Language, Truth and Logic (1936), A.J. Ayer applied the verification principle, asserting that statements verifiable neither empirically nor analytically—such as those involving religious leaps of faith—lack meaning and thus cannot be true or false in a substantive sense. Ayer classified religious language as emotive or non-cognitive, reducing leaps of faith to expressions of feeling rather than valid epistemological commitments.^[36] Evidentialism, a related epistemological stance, further condemns faith-leaps as morally culpable. William K. Clifford, in his 1877 essay "The Ethics of Belief," declared: "It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence," emphasizing that accepting beliefs without evidential support, as in religious leaps, fosters intellectual dishonesty and societal harm. Clifford illustrated this with examples like a shipowner ignoring evidence of seaworthiness, arguing that such willful ignorance in faith equates to ethical negligence.^[37] From a scientific perspective, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins has portrayed leaps of faith as irrational delusions incompatible with empirical inquiry. In The God Delusion (2006), Dawkins describes faith as a persistent false belief held without evidence, akin to a psychological delusion, and attributes its prevalence to evolutionary byproducts of adaptive traits like pattern-seeking in human cognition. He argues that such leaps hinder rational discourse and perpetuate unfounded supernatural claims in an evidence-based worldview.^[38]

Modern Applications Beyond Philosophy

In psychology, the leap of faith concept has shaped positive psychology through William James's pragmatic emphasis on belief as a catalyst for action and well-being. James argued in "The Will to Believe" that in situations of live, forced, and momentous options—such as personal crises—committing to a belief via a leap of faith is not only rational but necessary to realize potential outcomes and foster optimism.^[39]^[40] This influence extends to modern positive psychology, where James's ideas on the functional role of faith in human flourishing underpin approaches to cultivating resilience and purpose.^[41] Viktor Frankl's logotherapy, formulated in 1946 amid his Holocaust experiences, emphasizes trust in life's meaning as essential for psychological resilience. Logotherapy views suffering as an opportunity for meaning-making, with individuals affirming a "will to meaning" that transcends immediate circumstances through attitudinal choices.^[42] This commitment enables attitudinal values where one chooses responses that affirm human dignity, directly enhancing coping and recovery in adversity.^[43] In decision theory and behavioral economics, the leap of faith manifests in bounded rationality, where agents act under incomplete information, as modeled by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky's prospect theory (1979). Prospect theory demonstrates how decisions under risk involve asymmetric evaluations of gains and losses, often necessitating leaps beyond expected utility calculations to resolve uncertainty.^[44] This framework highlights leaps as inherent to human choice, influenced by hopes, fears, and cognitive limits rather than perfect rationality.^[45] Applications in business ethics extend this to entrepreneurial risks and ethical dilemmas, where bounded leaps balance potential harms against uncertain benefits. In environmental ethics, similar leaps underpin climate action, where moral imperatives demand trust in unproven collective strategies despite scientific ambiguities, as seen in faith-based discourses urging socio-ecological transformation.^[46] Contemporary cultural applications highlight leaps of faith in emerging challenges. In AI ethics, reliance on autonomous systems involves precarious trust, where no formula guarantees "trustworthy" AI; instead, users must leap based on ethical principles like human autonomy, rendering trust fragile and context-dependent.^[47] During the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine acceptance exemplified this dynamic, requiring a leap of faith in novel interventions amid residual uncertainties, with trust in health institutions proving pivotal to overcoming hesitancy.^[48] These examples illustrate how leaps adapt to modern uncertainties, bridging personal conviction with societal imperatives.

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A Leap of Faith: Is There a Formula for “Trustworthy” AI? - Braun - 2021
Feb 19, 2021 · We argue, trust is granted through leaps of faith. For this reason, trust remains precarious, fragile, and resistant to promotion through formulaic approaches.
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Trust is the common denominator for COVID-19 vaccine acceptance
The main objective of this study is to explore the role and contribution of trust in public willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccinations.