--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Faith is an irrational leap over the…" description: "\"“Faith is an irrational leap over the probabilities.”\" — Peter Boghossian" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/peter-boghossian-15209_faith_faith-is-an-irrational-leap-over-the-pro_1752580.jpg" --- # Faith is an irrational leap over the probabilities. ![“Faith is an irrational leap over the probabilities.” quote by Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/peter-boghossian-15209_faith_faith-is-an-irrational-leap-over-the-pro_1752580.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/peter-boghossian-15209_faith_faith-is-an-irrational-leap-over-the-pro_1752580.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/peter-boghossian-15209_faith_faith-is-an-irrational-leap-over-the-pro_1752580.jpg) > ““Faith is an irrational leap over the probabilities.”” [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith involves embracing belief despite lacking logical evidence. **In simple terms:** Faith is belief beyond evidence. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty in belief systems. Themes faith irrationality belief probability philosophy Mood philosophical contemplative skeptical Type inspirational advice When to use this quote - religious practice - personal conviction - ethical decision making - scientific skepticism Key Concepts epistemology existential risk Questions to Reflect On - What role does uncertainty play in your beliefs? - Can faith coexist with critical thinking? A Different Perspective Rational analysis may challenge faith’s emotional comfort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Faith Irrational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-irrational-1618874/) [Irrational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrational/) [Irrational Leap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrational-leap-1618875/) [Leap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leap/) [Leap Probabilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leap-probabilities-1618876/) ## Related quotes > [But you must still know to respect other people's faith.' 'Why? We don't respect any other delusion. We lock up people who believe they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arditti/but-you-must-still-know-to-respect-other-people-s-faith-why-we-don-t/) [Michael Arditti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arditti/) > [“The belief in a god is irrational, and once this leap of faith is made it only takes short steps to abandon the standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-belief-in-a-god-is-irrational-and-once-this-leap-of-faith-is-made/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Dawkins conveniently illustrates the rationalist's dilemma: How do you articulate a personal sense of purpose when you intellectually have concluded that the world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-burton/dawkins-conveniently-illustrates-the-rationalist-s-dilemma-how-do-you/) [Robert A. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-burton/) > [In Scripture, faith involves placing trust in what you have reason to believe is true. Faith is not a blind, irrational leap into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-moreland/in-scripture-faith-involves-placing-trust-in-what-you-have-reason-to/) [J.P. Moreland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-moreland/) > [Faith is not a leap in the dark; it’s the exact opposite. It’s a commitment based on evidence… It is irrational to reduce all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/faith-is-not-a-leap-in-the-dark-it-s-the-exact-opposite-it-s-a/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [“...the irrational will have its say, perhaps because 'irrational' is the wrong word for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/the-irrational-will-have-its-say-perhaps-because-irrational-is-the/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [At that moment, she cannot think of a more reckless, irrational thing than choosing to become a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/at-that-moment-she-cannot-think-of-a-more-reckless-irrational-thing/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [My greatest personal mistake is ever to allow a word or moment that “doesn’t count,” i.e., that I do not refer to my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/my-greatest-personal-mistake-is-ever-to-allow-a-word-or-moment-that/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [America must deal once and for all with an utterly irrational health care financing system that allows private interests to make billions in profits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-gordon/america-must-deal-once-and-for-all-with-an-utterly-irrational-health/) [Suzanne Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-gordon/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [But jealousy... it's a strange thing. So much more powerful then I would have thought. And irrational!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-cullen/but-jealousy-it-s-a-strange-thing-so-much-more-powerful-then-i-would/) [Edward Cullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-cullen/) > [The advance of science spares us from irrational dread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-advance-of-science-spares-us-from-irrational-dread/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/to-be-against-rationalization-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-opposed-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It is true that from a behavioral economics perspective we are fallible, easily confused, not that smart, and often irrational. We are more like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/it-is-true-that-from-a-behavioral-economics-perspective-we-are/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) ## More by Peter Boghossian > [“Socrates said that a man doesn’t want what he doesn’t think he lacks. That is, if you believe you have the truth then why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/socrates-said-that-a-man-doesn-t-want-what-he-doesn-t-think-he-lacks/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [“Use anxiety to follow your thoughts as a guide to see where it leads you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/use-anxiety-to-follow-your-thoughts-as-a-guide-to-see-where-it-leads/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [“Liberalism is a creation of the seventeenth century, fathered by British philosopher John Locke (1632–1704). For Locke, liberalism means limited government, the rule of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/liberalism-is-a-creation-of-the-seventeenth-century-fathered-by/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [Christians claim that life has no meaning if you stop pretending to know things you don't know, though they phrase it more tersely as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/christians-claim-that-life-has-no-meaning-if-you-stop-pretending-to/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [“The sins of the fathers are to be born by their children’s children’s children? What sort of justice is that? This goes against half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/the-sins-of-the-fathers-are-to-be-born-by-their-children-s-children-s/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [“Faith has fallen. What goes in its place? Wonder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/faith-has-fallen-what-goes-in-its-place-wonder/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [“Faith taints or at worst removes our curiosity about the world, what we should value, and what type of life we should lead. Faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/faith-taints-or-at-worst-removes-our-curiosity-about-the-world-what/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [When one has a crisis of faith it means one is struck by the realisation than one has been pretending know things that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/when-one-has-a-crisis-of-faith-it-means-one-is-struck-by-the/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [Faith: Pretending to know things you don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/faith-pretending-to-know-things-you-don-t-know/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [“Pat Tillman (for abandoning an incredibly promising football career to give his life for his country).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/pat-tillman-for-abandoning-an-incredibly-promising-football-career-to/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [Faith is the problem. Faith is unreliable way to think about problems that will not lead to the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/faith-is-the-problem-faith-is-unreliable-way-to-think-about-problems/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [“You will transform a broken world long ruled by unquestioned faith into a society built on reason, evidence, and thought-out positions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/you-will-transform-a-broken-world-long-ruled-by-unquestioned-faith/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [“Harris, Dawkins, Dennett, and Hitchens”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/harris-dawkins-dennett-and-hitchens/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [“You cannot know the future, so take action. Don't wait for things to happen. Don't pray. Don't have faith. Don't rely upon imagined entities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/you-cannot-know-the-future-so-take-action-don-t-wait-for-things-to/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [“Your religious beliefs typically depend on the community in which you were raised or live. The spiritual experiences of people in ancient Greece, medieval…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/your-religious-beliefs-typically-depend-on-the-community-in-which-you/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) [Explore all 41 Peter Boghossian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) [Matt Morris (1](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-morris-1/) > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. The eternal truths of the Kingdom aren’t altered or affected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/just-because-your-faith-is-shaken-doesn-t-mean-the-faith-is-shaken/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) [Browse all 37,796 Faith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Faith is an irrational leap over the probabilities.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Boghossian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/faith-is-an-irrational-leap-over-the-probabilities/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Faith" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/faith-is-an-irrational-leap-over-the-probabilities/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/peter-boghossian-15209_faith_faith-is-an-irrational-leap-over-the-pro_1752580.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/peter-boghossian-15209_faith_faith-is-an-irrational-leap-over-the-pro_1752580.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/peter-boghossian-15209_faith_faith-is-an-irrational-leap-over-the-pro_1752580.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Faith is an irrational leap over the probabilities.” — Peter Boghossian", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Peter Boghossian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Faith is an irrational leap over...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/faith-is-an-irrational-leap-over-the-probabilities/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/faith-is-an-irrational-leap-over-the-probabilities/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```