Belief and Knowledge

[Heywood]

The crux of it is that knowledge requires rational proof. Belief can be just an opinion held with or without, or even in the face of the evidence. Belief can also be an opinion rationally based on what is most likely. It is possible to hold a belief while knowing that it is only the most likely outcome not the only possibility and therefore subject to change should new evidence present itself. That would be a rationally held belief.

Knowledge requires an experience. I have knowledge of Jenny A because of a practical contact with you by way of conversing on the internet. Belief requires a commitment which is a choice. I believe, or have committed to the ideal that you are an attorney or someone who otherwise works or is studying to work in the field of law. I don't know that to be true, I don't have any experience which allows me to know that to be true....but I believe it to be true.

Lack of belief is simply a lack of commitment. When an atheists claims to have no belief in God, they are expressing they have chosen not to commit to the idea of the existence of God.

Now when an atheist is asked, "Do you believe in abiogenesis" and the reply is, "I don't know"....."I don't know" is a statement about knowledge and doesn't tell us anything about what you actually believe or what ideas you have chosen to commit too.