WILLIAM JAMES P GROSSE

PROCESS AND THEMES FALL 02

THE WILL TO BELIEVE

Themes: In this essay from 1896, James is challenging traditional rationalism, which maintains
that our beliefs must be guided entirely by reason, and is not to extend beyond what evidence
allows us to affirm. His project is not to prove or disprove God’s existence, but show, that there
are rational grounds for believing some things in the absence of evidence based on experience
and faith. These rational grounds provide the basis for our ‘Right to Believe’ in God.

Note: Working Assumptions

1. James maintains, “Our non-intellectual nature does influence our convictions.”
2. Human nature is varied and complex. Intellect, will, passion, and taste all play an influencing
role in the practical commitments we make.
3. We are whole persons, neither creatures of pure reason nor pure experience. It is shortsighted
to think that intellect alone plays the only significant role.
4. As a pragmatist, James’ methodological approach is based on the notion that the truth of an
idea (belief) is based on its pragmatic consequences, its usefulness and practical results.
5. In “The Sentiment of Rationality”, James says that ‘faith means belief in something where
doubt is still theoretically possible. Because the outcome cannot be known in advance, moral
courage is required. The test of belief then is ones willingness to act.’

James Thesis:
“ Our passional nature not only lawfully may, but must, decide an option between propositions,
whenever it is a genuine option that cannot by its nature be decided on intellectual grounds.”
What is a genuine option?

A Genuine Option: A decision between two hypotheses proposed to our belief that satisfies the
following criteria. It must be:
1. Live: both alternatives must be relevant or significant to our belief.
2. Forced: the choice is critical and there is “no possibility of not choosing”.
3. Momentous: the stakes are high in terms of outcome. The ramifications or result seriously
affect your life.

What is the Religious Hypothesis?

1. “Religion says that the best things are the more eternal things.”
2. “We are better off even now if we believe her first affirmation to be true”

Note: In religious language best means perfect and is equivalent to the existence of God who is
eternal and perfect insuring the triumph of goodness and an orientation which is optimistic for
the universe. While the first part of the religious hypothesis is not testable, the second part
implies that there are some practical consequences for our believing.
Some Objections:
1. Clifford says, “ it is wrong always, everywhere, and for every one, to believe anything upon
insufficient evidence.” (Rationalist claim)
2. We cannot make anything come about just by willing it or believing it.
3. We should suspend judgment (agnostic rule) until we have sufficient evidence.
4. Rational knowledge demands, “we must know the truth; and we must avoid error.”

Read carefully James’ reply to these objections. He is of course maintaining that there are plenty
of practical examples from everyday life to support his position. Consider a 90-pound woman
lifting the back end of a car to save her husband or child from being crushed, or a man climbing
the cliff of a mountain and coming to realize that his only escape is to leap across an open space
that might very well result in his death. In the text, James cites the establishing of friendship as a
typical case where faith and trust must often times be initiated first without proof or evidence
from the other person.

Some Replies:
1. Where there is possible doubt about the outcome of our own action, belief and commitment
can influence the result.
2. While we cannot will and believe just anything, there are cases where “faith creates its own
verification” and the desired result is achieved.
3. Whenever confronted with a genuine option and insufficient evidence, “a rule of thinking
which would absolutely prevent me from acknowledging certain kinds of truth if those kinds of
truth were really there, would be an irrational rule.”
4. In these circumstances, “agnostic rules for truth-seeking” which would suspend my willing
passional nature are irrational.
5. In certain cases it is “better to risk the loss of truth than the chance of error.”

Possible Warrants: Supporting the Religious Hypothesis

1. The stakes are higher than in daily affairs
2. It transcends in importance any other choice. It is a Genuine option, meeting the criteria of
live, forced, and momentous.
3. Religious belief is not like scientific truth. Science can afford to wait, suspend judgment
without evidence, I cannot. I may die before the evidence is in and lose an opportunity that
would have been mine. Religious belief is closer to the adoption of a practical judgment of
action.
4. Pascal’s Wager says “a finite loss is reasonable, if wrong, when you have the possibility of
infinite gain.”
5. Belief in God may have beneficial consequences in this life. A life based on religion and its
ethical code makes a difference. Life is more rewarding for me than without belief in God.
Suffering is not meaningless.
6. One’s own life and the life of others benefit.