Introduction
Summary of the Book Doubt: A History by Jennifer Michael Hecht Before we proceed, let’s look into a brief overview of the book. Imagine flipping open a book of the past only to find that some of the most important voices have been muted. These silent figures were not conquerors or prophets, yet their presence altered the course of human thought. They were doubters, people who dared to question what everyone else accepted. Their story is rarely told front and center, but it flows like an underground river, nourishing fresh ideas and clearing old debris. From the earliest civilizations to our digital age, doubt broke barriers, encouraged science, refreshed religions, and shaped new philosophies. Exploring this hidden history feels like shining a flashlight into a dark attic and discovering valuable treasures long tucked away. In doing so, we realize that doubt is not a weakness but a powerful spark driving progress and understanding.
Chapter 1: Uncovering the Hidden Legacy of Doubt, the Quiet Force Behind Human History.
Imagine turning the pages of a grand history book and seeing countless heroic figures who marched through time with unshakable confidence. You read about proud rulers, inspired prophets, and daring revolutionaries, each painted as a visionary who clung tightly to their beliefs. But there is a curious absence across these chronicles: the subtle presence of doubt, that questioning whisper tucked between the lines. Historically, many textbooks and teachings avoid describing how uncertainty shaped the minds of thinkers, influenced grand events, or sparked bold challenges to authority. This omission happens not merely by chance; it occurs because doubt has often threatened established powers, shaken rigid traditions, and unsettled the comfort of absolute truths. Therefore, doubters, even when numerous and significant, tend not to appear under bright lights in conventional narratives, remaining shadowy figures at the edges of recorded time.
Yet, the story of doubt and its doubters is far from unimportant. In fact, it is so widespread that, when we look carefully, we see its signs scattered across continents and centuries. Some of the world’s most celebrated thinkers and innovators wrestled privately and publicly with uncertainty, challenging commonly accepted facts, sacred beliefs, or political mandates. These doubters laid foundations for enormous social, cultural, and scientific shifts. And it was not just thinkers and philosophers who embraced questioning; entire communities, sometimes hidden from official records, nurtured traditions of skepticism. The influence of doubt was like a gentle current pushing minds to ask: Is this truly how the world works? Such quiet questioning allowed humanity to break free from stale illusions and move closer to more accurate understandings of reality.
Why has doubt been kept so quiet in our understanding of the past? One reason lies in how powerful institutions—be they religious authorities, imperial states, or strict traditional orders—often tried to silence or erase voices that resisted conformity. Doubters, by their nature, chipped away at the seemingly unshakable pillars of authority. Leaders who benefited from stable, unquestioned beliefs naturally preferred to remove or distort evidence of anyone who dared to raise a skeptical eyebrow. Thus, many doubters’ words, arguments, and ideas either vanished from official records or were severely misrepresented. Such intentional gaps in historical memory make it challenging to see how deeply doubt’s roots grow in our collective past. This creates the misleading impression that humanity advanced only through certainty, overlooking the profound role of the questioning mind.
But the truth is that doubt was always quietly there, nudging, questioning, and occasionally roaring. From ancient worlds to modern times, those who doubted established truths ensured that knowledge did not stagnate. Without doubt, we might have remained trapped in outdated assumptions, never daring to consider alternative explanations or improved methods. Doubt drove the transformation of societies and the emergence of new ideologies. It lay behind forgotten intellectual rebellions, suppressed texts, and entire lost communities whose voices were systematically ignored by official narratives. The moment we begin to seek out these lesser-known stories, we become witness to a remarkable hidden tradition. Each doubter is like a missing puzzle piece, completing the bigger picture of how human understanding evolved. Once we acknowledge their significance, we realize just how incomplete our traditional histories truly are.
Chapter 2: Tracing the Ancient Roots of Doubt Across Civilizations and Diverse Cultural Landscapes.
Doubt is not a new invention of the modern age. Its ancestry stretches back to the earliest known records of human thought. Take a moment to consider the earliest civilizations—ancient river valleys, grand empires, and small tribal communities. Within these societies, we find traces of people quietly questioning accepted beliefs, asking whether the gods truly controlled the weather, or whether leaders’ claims were as truthful as they proclaimed. From the Mediterranean shores of Greece to the fertile plains of China, individuals emerged who dared to challenge even the most sacred doctrines. This pattern was not isolated to one region; it spread widely, weaving through Asia, Europe, Africa, and beyond. Such a geographic diversity of doubt suggests that humans, no matter where they lived, tended to ask complicated questions about their world.
Indeed, some of history’s earliest notable doubters include iconic philosophers like Socrates in classical Athens, who openly questioned moral values and social customs. Meanwhile, in China around 500 BCE, Confucius taught ideas that encouraged critical thinking, even if not openly rejecting every tradition. Both East and West had their share of skeptics, some deeply revered today for their wisdom. Yet, it wasn’t only grand philosophers who engaged in doubt; average people also wondered about the validity of their rituals, the fairness of their leaders, or the stories told by priests and elders. Just as languages differ around the globe, so do the expressions of doubt. Yet the common thread remains: wherever people thought deeply, some naturally ventured into the territory of uncertainty.
From the Persian Empire to India’s intellectual scene, questioning minds emerged. In these places, doubters sometimes formed small circles, quietly exchanging challenging ideas far from the ears of strict authorities. Even religious traditions that flourished in one era could, at another time, encounter critics who tried to reinterpret them or strip them down to their core truths. Such criticisms might be fleeting or sporadic, often leaving behind only faint references in texts that miraculously survived. And in some eras, as with ancient Jewish communities that blended their faith with Greek customs, skepticism grew from cultural intersections. These cultural fusions gave birth to unique perspectives, some of which questioned old religious stories or political rules, causing tensions that might lead to their erasure from official historical accounts.
What stands out is that no single civilization can claim ownership over doubt. Just as art and trade traveled along ancient trade routes, so did ideas of skepticism. Travelers, merchants, and scholars carried seeds of doubt across borders, sowing them in foreign lands. Over time, doubters learned from one another, exchanging arguments and refining their methods of inquiry. The universal presence of doubt suggests that humans everywhere share a curiosity that cannot be fully contained by authority or tradition. This global chorus of questioning shaped the way knowledge evolved. It pushed people toward new explanations, encouraging them to test theories, refine beliefs, and consider alternative viewpoints. By uncovering these ancient roots of doubt, we recognize that today’s questioning mindset did not arise overnight; it was nurtured across centuries, continents, and countless cultural settings.
Chapter 3: Confronting the Shadows of History: How Doubters Were Ruthlessly Silenced and Suppressed.
While doubters have always existed, their intellectual courage often came at a cost. Societies that depended on rigid power structures were not kind to those who asked troublesome questions. Throughout history, political and religious elites found countless ways to stifle, punish, or erase dissenting voices. Sometimes this took the form of censorship—books banned, scrolls burned, libraries purged. At other times, it was more violent, resulting in imprisonment, torture, or execution of those deemed too skeptical. These harsh measures were more than random acts of cruelty; they were calculated attempts to keep belief systems intact. Leaders feared that if people began questioning holy scriptures, royal commands, or sacred traditions, the entire social order might collapse. Thus, eliminating doubt often seemed like the safest path to preserve authority and control.
Consider the Roman Empire and its successors, where emperors and religious councils found ways to silence troublesome thinkers. Religious inquisitions, such as those enforced by the Catholic Church in medieval and early modern Europe, stand as notorious examples. Anyone who dared suggest that the Earth orbited the Sun rather than standing at the universe’s center faced dire consequences. Equally, those who challenged the nature of the divine or questioned religious sacraments risked being labeled heretics. Such individuals were seen not as curious minds but as infectious threats spreading dangerous ideas that could weaken communal faith. By systematically targeting skeptics, authorities hoped to maintain unchallenged dominance over people’s hearts and minds. The scars of these oppressive actions can still be felt today, echoing in the absences and silences of our historical records.
Outside Europe, similar patterns emerged. For example, in India, ancient skeptics associated with the Charvaka school questioned the existence of an afterlife, defied accepted religious ceremonies, and mocked spiritual authorities. Because their teachings threatened long-standing traditions, most of their original writings were destroyed, leaving only the harsh criticisms penned by their enemies. The same pattern repeated elsewhere, as valuable works of skeptical insight were lost to the flames of censorship, leaving future generations with incomplete stories. This selective memory ensured that doubt, despite being a powerful intellectual force, remained tucked away, known only to a few dedicated scholars who sifted through fragments searching for hints of suppressed voices.
This relentless suppression did more than erase individual doubters. It robbed entire societies of opportunities to grow more flexible, open, and intellectually honest. Removing doubt also stripped away a tool that can refine beliefs, making them more resilient and reliable. Without skeptical challenges, religious and political ideas might become dogmatic, and scientific advancement might slow. In destroying the evidence of questioning minds, these authorities built brittle towers of certainty. Their efforts shaped a historical narrative that presents doubt as rare and insignificant, hiding the fact that it was often a quiet, but steady, undercurrent. Understanding these grim tactics helps us appreciate why we must work extra hard today to recover lost histories and bring these forgotten doubters, who dared to challenge the status quo, back into the light.
Chapter 4: Challenging Sacred Truths: Great Minds Who Questioned Hallowed Religious Certainties and Beliefs.
Religion, one of the most profound social and cultural forces across human history, has frequently encountered the sharp edge of doubt. Faiths, by nature, rest on convictions that transcend plain evidence. They often rely on spiritual experiences, revelations, or sacred texts to guide communities. Yet, wherever there are doctrines demanding unwavering belief, there appear curious minds inclined to test the strength of those claims. Some asked: If a deity is perfect and loving, why does suffering exist? Others wondered about the true origins of sacred stories. Could legends of gods and miracles be metaphors rather than literal truths? These questions, while uncomfortable, opened spaces for honest re-evaluation and new interpretations. Doubters did not always aim to destroy religions; some genuinely sought to understand their depth and meaning more accurately.
From ancient Greek philosophers like Xenophanes, who criticized anthropomorphic gods, to later European thinkers who dared to interpret biblical accounts symbolically, a quiet tradition of religious skepticism wove its way through the centuries. Sometimes these critiques arose from unexpected places. A devout individual might grow uneasy with certain teachings and begin asking for logical consistency. Another person might study different religions’ scriptures and notice shared themes that challenged the idea of a unique divine truth. While some doubters drifted away from religion entirely, others used their skepticism to refine and reshape their faith. These conflicting impulses—tearing down versus reconstructing—made the encounters between doubt and religion lively, dynamic, and often controversial.
Not all religious doubters stood outside the faith looking in. Martin Luther, for example, questioned many practices of the Catholic Church not because he scorned religion, but because he cared deeply about it. He doubted that selling indulgences—papers claiming to reduce punishment after death—aligned with genuine piety. His famous Ninety-Five Theses criticized certain Church customs, sparking the Protestant Reformation. Similar internal critics appeared in Judaism, Islam, and other traditions, asking hard questions about religious laws, stories, or rituals. Their doubts sometimes led to schisms, reforms, or entirely new branches of faith that attempted to correct perceived flaws, making religion itself more adaptable to changing times.
This interplay between doubt and religion shows that skepticism can serve as a balancing force. Without it, belief systems risk becoming unexamined structures that crumble when challenged by new evidence or social realities. Doubt invites believers to reevaluate their understanding, possibly strengthening their faith by identifying what truly matters and what might be outdated tradition. Although some religious authorities tried to stifle these questioning voices, others came to accept that doubt is a natural part of spiritual life. In essence, religion’s evolution often springs from the friction between rigid doctrine and the curious, doubting mind. This tension, though sometimes painful, can open doors to deeper wisdom and a more thoughtful approach to divine mysteries.
Chapter 5: Embracing Doubt Within Faith: How Religions Adapted, Absorbed, and Subtly Internalized Skepticism.
Over time, certain religious traditions learned that ignoring or destroying doubt was not the only strategy. Instead, they recognized that every believer, no matter how pious, occasionally struggles with uncertainty. Rather than treating doubt as a poison, some faiths began weaving it into their narratives. Stories emerged to acknowledge that even saints and prophets had moments of hesitation. Consider the figure of Doubting Thomas in Christianity’s New Testament. Thomas refused to believe that Jesus had risen until he saw proof. By including such an episode, Christian scripture validated the experience of doubt, making it part of the path toward understanding, rather than a dead end. Such inclusions showed believers that faith need not be blind; it could survive, and even deepen, through honest questioning.
In Judaism’s Book of Job, a righteous man suffers terrible losses and dares to question God’s justice. By placing this narrative in a sacred text, religious authorities accepted that humans might challenge divine logic. The resulting conversation doesn’t dismiss Job’s doubts; it addresses them head-on, acknowledging that life is complex and not all answers are easily found. Similarly, in many spiritual traditions, parables and stories of struggle reflect the idea that belief matures when tested by hardship. These narrative choices are not accidental. They reveal a subtle shift in religious thinking: doubt can be a step on the journey, not a stumbling block. By embracing doubt within their doctrines, religions create room for believers to wrestle with uncertainty, ultimately reinforcing the authenticity of their faith.
This approach also helped religions survive in changing cultural landscapes. As people encountered new ideas—scientific discoveries, different faiths, or philosophical arguments—they naturally became curious and skeptical. Religious communities that refused any dialogue with doubt risked losing members who found them too rigid. By acknowledging doubt in sermons, teachings, and sacred texts, some religious traditions showed adaptability. They admitted that not all mysteries could be explained, and that sometimes, spiritual truth lies beyond the reach of human reason. Rather than condemning skeptical believers, faith communities that internalized doubt encouraged them to explore questions, reflect on possible answers, and remain engaged with the spiritual quest. This method allowed religions to remain relevant and meaningful, even as human knowledge expanded and the world grew more complex.
Such integration of doubt into faith did not always come easily. It often took thoughtful leaders, compassionate teachers, and open-minded believers to accept that uncertainty is part of the spiritual landscape. Still, the presence of these narratives shows us that religion and doubt need not be mortal enemies. They can coexist as partners in an ongoing conversation about existence, purpose, and moral values. Ultimately, by subtly internalizing skepticism, religions could harness its power to refine themselves. This adaptation prevents faith from becoming a brittle structure that breaks under questioning. Instead, it evolves into a living tradition, strong enough to face new challenges. Thus, religions that admitted doubt into their sacred spaces nourished a richer, more mature understanding of the divine, offering believers the freedom to question and grow.
Chapter 6: From Doubtful Sparks to New Beliefs: When Skepticism Gave Birth to Fresh Faiths.
Sometimes doubt does more than reshape an existing religion; it lays the groundwork for a completely new one. Imagine a person gazing at long-standing traditions and feeling that something is off. They may doubt the effectiveness of certain rituals or moral codes. Instead of merely criticizing, such a thinker might propose a new vision that addresses their uncertainties. In ancient India, Siddhartha Gautama, who became known as the Buddha, questioned the Hindu practices of his time—especially strict asceticism. Rather than starving himself, as was common among seekers of enlightenment, he embraced a Middle Way. His doubts about extreme methods led him to form a path free from those very extremes. Buddhism, born from this skepticism, spread widely, shaping spiritual landscapes far beyond its birthplace.
This pattern is not unique to Buddhism. Throughout history, religious splinter groups and new faiths have emerged when doubters found existing traditions unresponsive to their questions. They felt that the old explanations could no longer account for new insights, changing social conditions, or evolving moral sensibilities. Instead of rejecting spirituality altogether, these visionaries crafted fresh doctrines, ethics, and practices. Sometimes these new faiths focused on direct personal experience rather than sacred texts. Other times they introduced a gentler view of God or a more inclusive community structure. They integrated doubt right into their foundation, presenting their faith not as a closed fortress of belief, but as a living discussion that could grow and adapt.
Moreover, doubt-fueled new religions often served as catalysts for change beyond the spiritual sphere. When new faiths emerged, they frequently inspired novel approaches to education, social welfare, and even political structures. They could challenge oppressive practices, encourage dialogue between different cultural groups, or promote compassionate values in societies wracked by injustice. By starting from doubt, these movements demonstrated that questioning old assumptions does not mean ending faith; instead, it can birth faiths more attuned to people’s real experiences. Over time, they influenced other traditions as well. Observers from established religions watched how these new faiths thrived, sometimes adopting their ideas, thus enriching the broader religious landscape.
These episodes remind us that doubt can be creative, not merely destructive. Rather than only tearing down old beliefs, skepticism can clear ground for planting something fresh and meaningful. Just as a gardener removes weeds to help flowers grow, so doubt removes clinging old beliefs that no longer serve humanity’s moral and intellectual needs. While doubters sometimes face opposition, history proves that their questions can yield new paths toward understanding life’s big mysteries. Thus, when we look at the many faiths that have sprung from seeds of uncertainty, we see that doubt is not the enemy of spirituality. Instead, it can be the spark lighting the way to unexpected religious insights, renewed moral principles, and communities shaped by honesty and inquiry.
Chapter 7: The Curious Bond Between Doubt and Discovery: How Science Found Its Path.
Moving beyond religion, doubt also carved a niche for itself in science. The scientific spirit, as we know it today, blossomed from skepticism toward claims unsupported by evidence. Ancient philosophers who dared to doubt traditional explanations of natural phenomena laid the groundwork for scientific thinking. Instead of accepting that thunder was caused by angry gods, they searched for more consistent laws of nature. By examining the world carefully, they demanded proof, repetition, and logical reasoning. This shift marked a turning point. Doubt, in this sense, became a tool rather than a threat. It allowed early scientists to discard guesswork, approach the unknown with an open yet critical mind, and push human understanding beyond myths and hearsay.
From the ancient Greeks like Thales, who predicted eclipses by doubting superstitious explanations, to modern figures like Einstein, skeptics shaped the scientific method. Scientists learn to question every assumption, test every hypothesis, and never settle on a conclusion without solid evidence. Without doubt, we might still believe disease is caused by curses rather than germs, or that the Earth sits at the center of a tiny universe. When Copernicus doubted the Earth-centric model, when Galileo doubted established astronomical views, and when Darwin doubted traditional concepts of species’ origins, they ushered in revolutions of understanding. Each instance of skepticism sparked a chain reaction, inspiring others to question further and refine humanity’s grasp of natural laws.
This bond between doubt and discovery is not accidental. Science thrives on the idea that any claim must be testable and open to revision. Doubt encourages scientists to double-check their results, replicate experiments, and search for alternative explanations. This relentless scrutiny ensures that scientific knowledge becomes more accurate over time. Errors are corrected, outdated theories are replaced, and fresh insights emerge. In this environment, doubt is not a weakness; it is a strength that safeguards against blind acceptance. The skeptic’s mindset ensures that progress is built on sturdy foundations rather than comfortable illusions. Over centuries, this careful dance between doubt and evidence-based reasoning propelled humanity to uncover the workings of electricity, the secrets of genetic inheritance, the structure of the atom, and countless other wonders.
Today, we reap immense benefits from the legacy of skeptical scientists. Their willingness to doubt grand theories, question traditional knowledge, and rigorously test new ideas gave us modern medicine, reliable engineering principles, and a clearer picture of our place in the cosmos. Without the doubting mind, we might still be trapped in unchanging worldviews. Instead, we enjoy a dynamic world of constant learning, innovation, and intellectual excitement. By appreciating how doubt served as the engine of scientific growth, we realize that this once-suspicious attitude became one of humanity’s most reliable ways to glimpse truth. Understanding this relationship between doubt and science shows that questioning can be a powerful, constructive force, nurturing knowledge that stands the test of time and guiding us toward a more enlightened future.
Chapter 8: Navigating the Depths of Uncertainty: When Endless Questioning Brings Profound Inner Turmoil.
However, doubt is not always a comforting companion. Sometimes it can cast a dark shadow over one’s inner life. If every belief is questioned too intensely, a person may feel lost and adrift, uncertain about what to trust or value. This extreme skepticism can lead to confusion, anxiety, and despair. Without any firm ground, life’s meaning might seem blurred, leaving a person feeling hollow. Historically, this form of radical doubt troubled some great thinkers. They acknowledged that while questioning old assumptions could free the mind, it could also leave individuals directionless. Being stuck in endless questioning can feel like floating in deep, murky water with no solid shore in sight, which may cause mental anguish and emotional instability.
For example, the French philosopher René Descartes famously decided to doubt everything he thought he knew. He considered the possibility that his senses deceived him, that the physical world might be an illusion, even that a trickster spirit could be feeding him false perceptions. This intense exercise in skepticism led him to a frightening place where nothing seemed certain—except one fact: because he doubted, he must at least exist as a thinking being. Descartes’ journey illustrates that plunging headlong into doubt without any lifeline can feel unsettling. Though such extreme doubt can sharpen the mind’s critical faculties, it also shows how delicate the balance is between healthy questioning and paralyzing uncertainty.
Throughout history, philosophers recognized that when societies lose all shared beliefs, people might become isolated, lacking common grounds for cooperation. Humans, after all, crave stability and meaning. Religious ceremonies, seasonal festivals, and community traditions have often provided comfort and a sense of belonging. Removing them abruptly can leave a vacuum. Ancient doubters, who saw through certain myths, sometimes still participated in festivals or observed cultural customs, understanding that these rituals offered psychological reassurance and social cohesion. By engaging in them, doubters acknowledged that human beings need more than cold facts; they also need shared narratives, supportive communities, and emotional anchors that withstand life’s storms.
This dual nature of doubt—its power to free minds and its potential to unsettle hearts—reminds us that we must practice skepticism responsibly. There is a difference between questioning outmoded rules and dismissing all moral guidelines, or between challenging outdated beliefs and rejecting every source of meaning. Some thinkers have advised a balanced approach, encouraging people to doubt productively. When doubt becomes too heavy a burden, it might help to remember that uncertainty is a part of the human condition. We cannot know all answers, and perhaps that’s not entirely bad. Accepting certain mysteries without giving up on rational inquiry can help maintain mental health. Thus, doubters learn to navigate these dark waters carefully, using doubt as a compass rather than an anchor dragging them into despair.
Chapter 9: The Positive Potential of Questioning: Transforming Doubt Into Deeply Meaningful Personal Growth.
Despite the difficulties doubt can present, it also offers opportunities for profound personal and intellectual growth. By challenging our assumptions, we open ourselves to surprises and fresh perspectives. Take Descartes’ realization that his own existence was confirmed by his ability to doubt. His moment of uncertainty laid a cornerstone of modern philosophy: the thinking self as a certain fact. Similarly, doubt can help us shed beliefs we adopted without reflection, allowing us to build a more authentic worldview. When we doubt simplistic explanations, we might discover richer, more nuanced truths. This can make our beliefs stronger, not weaker, because they stand on solid reasoning rather than passive acceptance.
History shows that doubters benefited from each other’s insights. Socrates influenced countless later thinkers, directly or indirectly pushing them to ask sharper questions. Descartes influenced Spinoza, who in turn influenced generations of philosophers and scientists. The chain of inspiration created by skeptical minds spans continents and centuries, linking ancient Greek debates to modern scientific laboratories. Such connections illustrate how one person’s doubts can spark another’s breakthrough. Moreover, doubt encourages honest dialogue. By acknowledging uncertainty, we invite others to share their reasoning, fostering an environment of cooperative learning rather than dogmatic battles.
Doubt can even help us face life’s biggest mystery: death. Many doubters concluded that since we cannot know what lies beyond death, fearing it constantly is pointless. Socrates famously approached his own death with calm acceptance, reasoning that since he lacked knowledge of any afterlife, worrying would achieve nothing. This attitude can provide comfort in uncertain times. Rather than clinging to unfounded stories or denying reality, accepting that some questions remain unanswered frees us from paralyzing fear. This acceptance, born from doubt, can help individuals live more fully in the present.
Ultimately, doubt is neither purely good nor purely bad. It depends on how we use it. Through centuries of suppressed histories, lost writings, and brave individuals standing against majority beliefs, we see that doubt has always been part of human life. Far from being a meaningless distraction, it has inspired scientific revolutions, religious reforms, and philosophical insights. It encouraged cultures to adapt, learn, and grow. By approaching doubt with an open but cautious mind, we can transform it from a source of despair into a tool for personal enrichment. Just as we have learned to appreciate the role of doubt in shaping civilizations, we can also learn to appreciate it in our own lives, using it wisely to become more thoughtful, compassionate, and understanding individuals.
All about the Book
Explore the rich history of skepticism and belief with ‘Doubt: A History’ by Jennifer Michael Hecht, a compelling analysis of how doubt has shaped human thought throughout centuries. Discover thought-provoking insights into religion, philosophy, and culture.
Jennifer Michael Hecht is a historian and poet celebrated for her insightful explorations of doubt, belief, and skepticism, making her a significant voice in contemporary discussions on faith and philosophy.
Philosophers, Historians, Theologians, Educators, Psychologists
Reading philosophy, Exploring religious studies, Writing, Debating ethics, Studying historical texts
The role of doubt in faith, The history of atheism, Philosophical skepticism, Cultural implications of belief systems
Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is an integral part of it.
Neil deGrasse Tyson, Richard Dawkins, Cornel West
LA Times Book Prize, National Book Award Finalist, PEN New England Book Award
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https://www.amazon.com/Doubt-History-Jennifer-Michael-Hecht/dp/0060535900
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