Q&A: A Subjective Claim
A Subjective Claim
Question
Hello Rabbi,
I’ve seen that you talk a lot and write in your book about the weakness of a subjective claim.
I wanted to ask: if there is a fact that cannot be verified (for example, that all the ravens in the world are black), is it possible to make a subjective claim?
In cases where the truth is clearer, such as that ravens exist, I see the weakness in a subjective claim. But in cases where in any event it’s impossible to verify, what is the disadvantage of a subjective claim? After all, in such a case both an objective claim and a subjective claim cannot be compared or verified.
Thank you very much!
Answer
I didn’t understand the question. I suggest you give an example.
Discussion on Answer
The claim “I feel” isn’t clear to me. Do you mean, “that’s how it seems to me intuitively”? If so, that’s a regular factual claim, because intuition is a kind of observation of the world. But if you’re talking about a subjective feeling, then it has no meaning at all. Why should I care how or what you feel when it comes to factual truth? Even if there’s no other way to deal with it, then there’s no way. That doesn’t validate nonsensical claims. If there’s no empirical way to deal with X, can I just say whatever I want about X? Can I claim that because the cloud above me is white, therefore X? The lack of an alternative does not validate a bad alternative.
Take the claim, for example, that all ravens are black—a claim that cannot be verified.
You can make an objective claim (that all the ravens are black because up to now that’s what we’ve seen, etc. etc.),
and you can make a subjective claim (I feel that there are white ravens).
Neither of the two claims can be verified or disproved.
So my question is: in a case like that, when we’re dealing with a factual claim that cannot be verified, is it possible to use a subjective claim?
And from that it would follow that the question of whether there is a God—which is a factual question that in the end cannot really be proven—would also be a case where it would be possible to use a subjective claim.
Thank you very much.