Faith and reason were two modes of belief that dominated the history of Western civilization. Faith and reason were popularized as tools for understanding the universe in the Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian eras. By opposing each other, these two modes of belief have given rise to numerous controversies. Reason or rationality is a belief based on concrete evidence and logic. The development of reason relies largely on observation and questioning. Greco-Roman philosophers believed in the power of the human mind to understand the world. So, in order to find the ultimate truth, Greco-Roman philosophers dedicated their lives to perfecting their reasoning skills and encouraged those around them to do the same. Unlike reason, faith is the strong belief in someone or something without concrete proof. The development of faith relies largely on religious teachings and practices. The Hebrews believed that ultimate truth could only be found in God. So, in order to find the ultimate truth, the Hebrews devoted their time to learning about God and his ethical requirements. Although the contradiction between faith and reason isolates them from each other, Christian thinkers have sought to unify these two modes of belief. The Greco-Roman approach to ultimate truth was through reason. In Plato's Apology, Socrates was the embodiment of rational thought. He questions, observes and draws conclusions. Although his behavior ultimately led to his demise, it represented a rational way to acquire knowledge. After being sentenced to death, Socrates described his death as an opportunity to pursue a life of research. “Above all, I will be able to continue my search for true and false knowledge; like the world, so in this also; I will find out who is wise, who before... middle of paper ... are very different, Christian thinkers believed it was possible to unify them. They proposed many compelling theories, but came to an implicit consensus that these two modes of belief will always be different from each other. Although Christian thinkers have struggled to unify faith and reason, their attempt demonstrates that no matter how much these modes of belief differ, they both must be recognized as powerful and revolutionary. Works Cited1 Socrates. Plato's Apologies2 Seneca. Letters to Lucilius3 Epictetus. Speech4 Perry, Marvin. Ideas, Politics and Society of Western Civilization. Mason: Cengage Learning. 2009.5 Proverbs 36 Saint Paul. Corinthians 17 St. Paul. Corinthians 139 Tertullian. A prescription against heretics11 Alexandria, Clement of. Stromata13 Saint Augustine. Confessions15 Thomas Aquinas. Theological Summa