The will to believe
and other essays in popular philosophy
by William James · first published 1897
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This volume contains the complete texts of two books by America's most important psychologust and philospher. Easy to understand, yet, brilliant and penetrating, the books were written specifically for laymen and they are still stimulating reading for readers concerned with important questions of belief in an age of science. Human Immorality: Two supposed Objections to the Doctrine, reprinted here from the corrected second edition, examines the questions of survival after death, and provides an unusual philosophical rebuttal to the theory that thought and personality necesscarily die with the
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The Will to Believe, by William James
on “Ask HN: Books with a high signal to noise ratio?” ↗I think anyone interested in religion (whether following one, debating them, or studying them) will find William James’s lecture The Will To Believe worthwhile. Here’s an excerpt from a synopsis[0], the full text is also freely available[1]. > James argues that we may be justified in adopting a belief even if we don't have enough prior evidence…
on “How to Boost Self Esteem and Stop Procrastinating” ↗The essay to read is “The Will To Believe” from William James. This is where the term “leap of faith” was coined. That illustration shows that, at least where self-confidence is concerned, belief in one’s own capabilities can greatly influence…
on “What caused the hallucinations of the Oracle of Delphi?” ↗You're looking for pragmatism. Look up William James' Will to Believe.
on “A Nihilist's Guide to Meaning” ↗…in a kung fu movie waiting to be swatted down by our hero. I don't think the comment you were replying to was a model of clarity; the quote is a paraphrase of a paraphrase of an argument in James' The Will To Believe. I'm familiar with that essay (not one of his most impressive) so maybe it was easier for me to hear what they were trying to say. But "WTF?!" etc isn't helpful. ... Objecting to every sentence like…
on “Academic success is either a crapshoot or a scam” ↗…clearly using "I believe" language in the third paragraph. You seem to claim that only rationality can make assertions worthwhile, but that's not universally accepted. See William James' notion of the Will to Believe. He argued that sometimes you must accept an unproven fact in order to take advantage of its implications. If you are expecting every sentence in the Opinionator piece to contain a "this is just my opinion,…
on “The Essayification of Everything (2013)” ↗…waiting to be swatted down by our hero. Are they not? > I don't think the comment you were replying to was a model of clarity; the quote is a paraphrase of a paraphrase of an argument in James' The Will To Believe. I'm familiar with that essay (not one of his most impressive) so maybe it was easier for me to hear what they were trying to say. Well, I don't know that essay, so it's possible that I am completely…
on “Academic success is either a crapshoot or a scam” ↗…to him) who worries about “Angels balancing on a needle’s pin” (Pragmatism). I’ve also incorporated William James thoughts on religion to reconcile my atheism with my spiritual/religious beliefs (The Will to Believe). He says something like: if you believe, what are the upsides, what are the downsides? You might not be able to prove it scientifically, but is that necessary? How I’ve applied it: if I believe in religion…
on “Philosophy is an art” ↗…on an empirical basis that there is nothing there. 3) Structurally the conscious self is continuous with a "wider self" through which religious experiences come, which James calls the "more." 4) "The Will to Believe" (1896): Clifford's rule against believing on insufficient evidence is itself a personal preference, choosing to avoid error over gaining truth. Following on that: your desire to be a reliable producer…
on “Religious scholars met with Anthropic” ↗