William James's "The Will to Believe" argues for the legitimacy of adopting a faith-based attitude in religious matters, even when logical intellect has not been coerced. He contends that certain "living options" in belief, where belief is forced, momentous, and impossible to decide on logical grounds alone, can be legitimately chosen through an act of will. This defense of "justification by faith" is presented as a counter to scientific rationalism that dismisses or imposes privacy on religious beliefs, suggesting that "over-beliefs" are vital to human progress and understanding.
The book challenges the presumption that logic alone can settle all questions, particularly those involving "religious fermentation" and the "subliminal self." James advocates for a pragmatic approach, asserting that faith may sometimes bring about its own verification. He explores the implications of determinism versus indeterminism, suggesting that a world with chance offers a morally less irrational alternative, and considers the origin and nature of moral judgments within a framework of subjective demands and ideals.
Key concepts
- Living options — Situations where a choice between beliefs is forced, momentous, and cannot be decided by logical evidence alone.
- Pascal's wager — The argument that it is rational to believe in God due to the potential infinite gain and finite loss, contrasting with Clifford's veto.
- Clifford's veto — The principle that it is always wrong to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.
- The subliminal self — A concept explored in psychical research, suggesting a deeper, less conscious layer of the self.
- Determinism and Indeterminism — Two opposing philosophical stances on whether all events are causally predetermined or if genuine chance exists.
- The mechanical-impersonal view versus the personal-romantic view of life — Contrasting perspectives on life, with the former emphasizing causal laws and the latter acknowledging subjective experience and meaning.