The ethics of belief
by William Kingdon Clifford, A. J. Burger · first published 2008
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…by Michael Beaney (for modern logic and the beginnings of contemporary philosophy in the analytic style) J. L. Mackie: The Cement of the Universe: A Study of Causation William Kingdon Clifford: The Ethics of Belief (he argues, oddly but powerfully, that it's immoral to believe things on insufficient evidence or irrationally - an offense to morality, not just reason)
on “Ask HN: Best Philosophical Books?” ↗Articles like this always remind me of Clifford's "The Ethics of Belief". I feel like no one ever sums up the the importance of thorough and independent thought as well as Clifford did 150 years ago. http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/Clifford_ethics.pdf
on “The Modern-Day Mind-Killer” ↗…Oprah has such a malicious intent, but I think most HN readers would agree that by giving celebrities and quacks a platform from which to spread their stupidity, she does cause harm to others. In The Ethics of Belief, W. K. Clifford said "It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence." If you accept Clifford's reasoning (as I do), then I think we must agree that Oprah…
on “Martin Gardner on Oprah Winfrey: Bright (but Gullible) Billionaire” ↗Yes we do have that responsibility and obligation. Reading his fallacious defense had me immediately thinking of the essay “The Ethics of Belief”[0]. [0] http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/Clifford_ethics.pdf
on “Cryptoqueen: A woman scammed the world, then vanished (2019)” ↗