Doubt: Its evolutionary role in shaping humanity.

Doubt, an evolutionary mind-and-heart tool, has led us to this moment in history, but our ability to hold opposing viewpoints and discern will shape the next chapter of our human story.

Illustration by ©Struvictory Art. Image Licensed by the Author

"Doubt is the origin of wisdom." — René Descartes

Doubt.

Dubitare, which means "to hesitate" or "to be uncertain."
This verb itself is derived from dubius, meaning "doubtful," which is related to the Latin word duo, meaning "two”, a situation of being "of two minds" or "in two places," implying a split or hesitation between two options.¹

Doubt, a complex mental state involves both emotion and cognition'.

Cognition:'the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.’²

We doubt when we question the validity of beliefs, choices, or asses information. The feeling we have while we doubt is a sense of discomfort or unease. Its role is motivational, more like an internal dialog with the purpose of seeking clarity, reassurance for the self and for understanding the reality.

Doubt is a secondary emotion that arises in response to primary emotions such as anxiety and fear. This complex collaboration create a space for us to look for facts, and assess risks, while memory and error detection improve in our understanding.

Our biology supports our decision making in a very well coordinated response among various brain regions. Amygdala, the brain's emotional center, activates first, triggering a fear response; as a result, the prefrontal cortex becomes engaged while our hippocampus assesses risks, helping us make more informed decisions.

While it is a great “lens” for assessment, growth, critical thinking, doubt can also lead to inertia or overthinking, especially if the cycle continues without a resolution.

Doubt alone was sufficient for our evolution to progress rapidly, but it is insufficient for making informed, complex decisions we are facing now.

Discernment is the ability to cultivate our thoughts and understanding of a larger spectrum of emotions and situations, and to see separate and all together the relational nature of our surroundings.
The word "discerning" comes from the Latin verb discernere, which means "to separate," "to distinguish," or "to sift."

The societal shifts were sparked by doubt, the original catalyst, which made us rethink how we do things. Meanwhile, discernment is becoming a necessary filtering tool that gives us the inner strength in ‘holding the tension of opposites,’ allowing us to accept diversity and expressions, and to create a space for others to meet us.

“…all the greatest and most important problems of life are fundamentally insoluble…They can never be solved, but only outgrown.” – C. G. Jung

This is a short story about doubt, followed by an exploration of how we can manage the inner and outer forces that hold us together, providing the energy to move forward.

The evolution of doubt as an adaptive mechanism for decision making and survival.

The early members of the genus Homo, including prehistoric and early humans, developed basic tools that suggest problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
This process likely involved a form of doubt regarding their effectiveness, materials, and design. Evidence of increased cognitive abilities in Homo erectus (which means “upright man'”) supports this, as they assessed risks and advanced in discoveries like fire and more complex tool-making.

Around 200,000 to 100,000 years ago, the development of language marked a significant evolutionary stage in communication, transforming how we relate to one another, how we “charm each other”, and how we build social structures, creating collaborative problem-solving.

In Charles Darwin’s vision of the origins of language, early humans had already developed musical ability prior to language and were using it “to charm each other.”³

This new social cohesion further enabled critical thinking, as complex communication required more analysis and decision-making.

During the late Paleolithic era (50,000 to 100,000 years ago), the Cognitive Revolution made significant steps in using abstract thinking, creativity (cave drawings), and the ability to question and reflect on one's environment, leading to greater awareness of uncertainties and doubt, both socially and individually.

The Neolithic Agricultural Revolution (10,000 to 4,000 years ago) introduced new forms of social organization, where doubt played a crucial role in land ownership, resource sharing, responsibilities, negotiation, and discussion.

As trade developed, the complexities of assessing truthfulness and unknown factors in people made doubt essential for evaluating reliability in economic exchanges and social interactions.

As we progressed into more advanced societies with increasingly accessible resources, our understanding of the world shifted.

We began to emphasize the importance of questioning and engaging with doubt as a pathway to knowledge, giving birth to Philosophy, which cultivated a cultural environment that valued doubt and truth-seeking.

The psychology behind “doubt”, exemplified by cognitive dissonance theory (how we resolve our internal conflicts):

”The inconsistency between what people believe and how they behave motivates them to engage in actions that will help minimize feelings of discomfort. People attempt to relieve this tension in different ways, such as by rejecting, explaining away, or avoiding new information.”⁴

As our decision-making processes and environmental predictions became more complex, our perception of doubt changed. Facing to much decision making can lead us "decision fatigue".

As the number of choices increases, the quality of our decisions tends to decline. Research has shown that after making several decisions, people may opt for the easiest or least risky choice rather than the best one.​⁵
Regret, constant dissatisfaction, procrastination and a sense of helplessness are also related to “decision fatigue”.

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The cultural-educational perspective of doubt: how we learn to doubt, to distrust, and to trust.

We are born curious beings; as we grow up, our experiences shape how we approach and respond to the world around us, question our assumptions and discern, trust or distrust.
Our sense of self-worth and confidence in our beliefs are influenced by our caretakers' encouragement to ask questions and validate exploration.
As children, we need to be mirrored and to learn that what we feel matters, in this way we can tell our truth and trust the world around and listen to our instincts.
We need safety in order to navigate the world confidently.

Conversely, if caregivers are inconsistent, neglectful, or critical, the child may internalize feelings of distrust, leading to patterns of self-doubt and a distorted view of reality. This can result in coping through escaping reality, failing to recognize red flags or dangerous situations, and not knowing how to discern what is trustworthy or what to question.

This distrust can manifest as skepticism towards others and oneself, creating a pervasive sense of inadequacy, not being good enough and not trusting the world will be a safe place.

Children who grow up in environments filled with secrecy, deception, addictions or emotional unavailability may form chronic feelings of doubt and low self-esteem.⁶

Families that do not communicate openly or share their thoughts and feelings can exacerbate these issues. Children may feel isolated in their experiences as they learn to discern, doubt, or hold the tensions of conflicts or make space for understanding multiple points of view.

We grow up doubting our decisions while taking on more and more obligations that gradually consume us as adults, leading us to lose the ability and energy to use doubt in ways that help us be connected to our self.

For the first time in human history, we have both freedom and responsibility, as well as an infinite number of choices. We get to choose what we want to do with our lives; we have more decisions to make than ever before, and we have time to overthink or risk everything due to decision fatigue.

At the same time, individual isolation and the pressure to conform, consume, be efficient and productive in order to be a part of society are causing a significant amount of inner conflicts, resulting in feelings of inadequacy, lowered self-esteem, and reinforced doubt about our appearance, lifestyle, business, and relationships.

We have less patience to understand different points of view; therefore, we want to spend less time in tension and tend to eliminate everything that feels uncomfortable in order to feel better.

We easily blame the “other” or find ways to escape responsibility for handling inner conflicts, projecting our desires for the world to change instead of changing ourselves.

“Short-term thinking always tries to avoid the genuine need to suffer the opposites long enough for a third way to emerge.” – Michael Meade

Illustration by ©Struvictory Art. Image Licensed by the Author

We live in an era where it is hard to distinguish truth from illusion; this phenomenon is known as the 'Illusory Truth Effect.'

”Repetition makes a fact seem more true, regardless of whether it is or not.”
-Dr. A. E. (Eddie) Kahn

While social media serves as a platform for connection and artistic expression, it is also a space where individuals often experience self-doubt more than they do in face-to-face interactions.

Reconsidering the content we consume becomes essential for handling the rapidly changing realities and trends of the coming years.

Mindful consumption and exposure to diverse perspectives can help us broaden our understanding and challenge our beliefs about ourselves and the world around us.

“The confidence people have in their beliefs is not a measure of the quality of evidence but of the coherence of the story that the mind has managed to construct,”-Nobel-winning psychologist Daniel Kahnema

“Healthy Self-doubt
Some level of self-doubt in certain situations can actually be healthy. Self-doubt exists, after all, to help us recognize we’re not always right. With self-doubt we question and challenge ourselves as we reflect inward. With some self-doubt we have humility and can relate better to others.

Unhealthy Self-doubt
When we can’t see our own good qualities, it’s difficult to maintain motivation. We may believe that we’ll never achieve our goals, that we don’t have talent, are not worthy of our position or partner. Small failures begin to be proof of our unworthiness. Unhealthy self-doubt can be compared to a greedy parasite that consumes more and more of you, feeding on your self-esteem, self-worth, and self-efficacy.

Self-doubt Fades When We Connect with Ourselves.”

Connecting with ourselves and others is a skill that can be learned.

One of C.Jung's main ideas was to "hold the tension between opposites." This helps us understand how important it is to have different points of view without settling them right away, act upon them as soon as they arise.

*The ego represents our conscious mind and sense of self.

“The ego keeps its integrity only if it does not identify with one of the opposites, and if it understands how to hold the balance between them.

This is possible only if it remains conscious of both at once.

However, the necessary insight is made exceedingly difficult not by one’s social and political leaders alone but also by one’s religious mentors.

They all want decisions in favor of one thing, and therefore the utter identification of the individual with the necessarily one-sided truth.” -C.Jung

Holding balance can help us make better decisions.
This means that we make an effort to recognize both ends of a spectrum while not taking one side. Just as water can be both hot and cold, it is still water, and its spectrum of tolerance depends on how we “allow” ourselves to perceive it.

Holding the tension between opposing truths means seeing both the negative traits and the positive traits in someone we love. This does not mean accepting poor treatment; it means recognizing both the good and the bad and deciding what we can accept or not.

We understand ourselves and others when we allow time to observe and recognize both opposite truths in a situation, a relationship, or a reality.

For instance, accepting love and hate, success and failure, and joy and sorrow helps one grow and learn.

We can see people in their humanity, rather than projecting onto them what we want to be. For example, we value youth because we are afraid of our own decay, mortality, and the process of aging. We fail to see the positive aspects of being old and label aging as being useless and abandoned. If we allow ourselves to accept that we will eventually age, we can be more compassionate toward our own human process and towards others who are getting older. Everyone wins, and everyone gets to see reality.

Holding the opposing truths is shadow work. Seeing in ourselves what we do not like in another.

C.Jung believed that a lack of understanding of our own inner conflicts can lead to destructive actions on a societal level- understanding that light and shadow coexist in all aspects of humanity, including our instincts toward both creation and destruction.

“The danger of the atomic bomb is not the bomb itself but the unconsciousness of man.”-C.Jung

One-sided conviction often limits our perspective, relationships, and overall growth; it can serve to relieve ambiguity, anxiety, and threat, but holding the tension will give us a plurality of voices and views.
The pressure to take sides in political, social, and religious beliefs can lead to “over identification” with a one-sided perspective, preventing personal growth and truth-seeking.

Choosing sides means evaluating your own beliefs and values, not rejecting opposing views. Self-reflection needs flexibility in thinking through the inclusion of diverse perspectives.

Holding the tension of opposites grows wholeness and peace.

Don't be judgmental, be discerning.

A history of deplorable judgments stains the ‘judgment’ concept. The word has a negative connotation; to separate bad judgment from good judgment, a new word has been inserted—discernment.

Discernment, according to psychology, refers to the ability to accurately perceive and comprehend information, situations, or people, often by using good judgment and insight. It involves the capacity to make insightful and well-informed decisions based on careful evaluation and understanding of various factors.⁷

“Life is complex. Choices are difficult. We never can gather enough facts to eliminate the possibility of error. We must make choices with limited information. Consequently, our judgements are subject to error, containing unfair inferences, harmful status-judgments, and self-excusing justifications.

We still must make judgments for safety and opportunity but we must do so while simultaneously guarding against hurtful biases that trample the dignity of others. ​”

Doubt, discernment, and holding the tension of opposites are just coordinates that guide us to the transcendence we strive for: balance, expansion, higher self, clarity, and connection with ourselves, others, and the universe.
“Individuation”(“self-realization”)- ultimately is about connection, community, and wholeness—not about individuality—but about making space for others to belong, grow, and thrive alongside us.

As we individuate, we connect and identify with the entire human family at deeper levels.

This article is about inclusiveness, promoting discernment, and finding ways to include others, even those with differing points of view.
We must see beyond our differences—it is not about accept them, its about recognize the humanity in everyone we encounter. When we do, we all gain more together.

Thank you!
Love,
Kate

"The only way to deal with uncertainty is to get curious. In an age of doubt, curiosity is our best antidote."-Brene Brown

Resources

1. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/doubt

2. https://cambridgecognition.com/what-is-cognition/

3. The origins of language

4. Cognitive Dissonance and the Discomfort of Holding Conflicting Beliefs

5. https://childmind.org/article/social-media-and-self-doubt/

6. https://positivepsychology.com/childhood-emotional-neglect/

7. https://psychologyfanatic.com/judgement-and-discernment/