William James' "The Will to Believe"

Summary

The speaker passionately advocates for the legitimacy of religious belief without empirical proof, challenging philosopher W.K. Clifford's view that belief without evidence is irresponsible. They argue that life is filled with decisions made without proof, and religion is no exception. The speaker asserts that some truths, especially in relationships and personal growth, can only be realized through belief. They emphasize the transformative power of belief, suggesting that it can make certain outcomes true, as in the case of confidence influencing success. The talk concludes by highlighting the importance of faith in combating despair and striving for a better world.

Takeaways

• 📜 The speaker argues for the rationality of religious belief without proof, challenging the view of philosophers like W.K. Clifford.
• 🧐 Belief without proof is a common aspect of life, and the speaker questions why religion should be an exception.
• 🤔 The concept of 'live, forced, and momentous' decisions is introduced to explain why we might need to believe without proof.
• 🏛 The decision to be religious or not is presented as a forced and significant choice that everyone must make.
• 🚫 Avoiding error by never believing anything less than completely certain could lead to missing out on truths worth believing.
• 🤝 Belief can be a prerequisite for certain truths, especially in relationships, where trust and respect can be confirmed through belief.
• 🔄 Beliefs can shape reality, as they influence behavior and can make certain outcomes more likely.
• 🌟 The speaker suggests that some religious beliefs might require belief to be confirmed as true, especially those related to personal relationships with a higher power.
• 💪 Believing in the possibility of a better world with divine help can be a self-fulfilling prophecy, motivating action towards that goal.
• ✝️ Religion provides hope, which is essential for combating evil and suffering, and the belief in a better world can be a driving force for change.

Q & A

What is the main argument the speaker is making about faith?

The speaker argues that it is rational and responsible to hold religious beliefs even without proof, defending the right to believe in religious claims that lack convincing evidence.

Why does the speaker disagree with philosopher W. K. Clifford's view on belief?

The speaker disagrees with Clifford because he believes that believing without proof is a part of life and that some things, including religious truths, cannot be confirmed until we believe them.

What does the speaker mean by 'live, forced, and momentous' decisions?

Live decisions are those where both options appeal to us at least a little. Forced decisions are those from which we cannot avoid choosing one option. Momentous decisions are those that have a significant impact on our lives.

Why does the speaker believe we have a right to believe without proof in certain situations?

The speaker believes we have a right to believe without proof when faced with live, forced, and momentous decisions because we must make choices and act, and sometimes these choices cannot be made with perfect proof.

How does the speaker relate the decision to be religious or not to other life decisions?

The speaker relates the decision to be religious or not to other significant life decisions like choosing a spouse or a career, suggesting that we often have to make these decisions without perfect proof.

What is the speaker's stance on the fear of being taken in by false beliefs?

The speaker is equally afraid of not believing a true religious claim as they are of believing a false one, and thus chooses to be religious.

Why does the speaker argue that some beliefs cannot be confirmed until we believe them?

The speaker argues that some beliefs, particularly those related to relationships and possibly with God, cannot be confirmed until we believe them because the act of believing can lead to evidence that confirms the belief.

What is the everyday example the speaker uses to illustrate how beliefs can make things true?

The speaker uses the example of confidence versus despair before a rugby game to show how believing in one's ability can lead to success, while despairing belief in failure can lead to actual failure.

How does the speaker connect our beliefs to our ability to shape the world?

The speaker connects our beliefs to our ability to shape the world by stating that our minds interact with reality, and our beliefs, by affecting our behavior, can shape the world to fit those beliefs.

What is the religious significance of the choice between confidence and despair according to the speaker?

The speaker suggests that the choice between confidence and despair has religious significance because believing in the possibility of a better world with divine help can empower us to work towards it, potentially making that belief come true.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Justification of Faith

The speaker argues for the rationality and responsibility of religious belief without proof. They disagree with philosophers like W.K. Clifford, who deem belief without evidence as irresponsible. The speaker asserts that life is filled with decisions made without proof, and religion is no exception. They introduce the concept of 'live, forced, and momentous' decisions, which are choices that are appealing, unavoidable, and have significant life consequences. The speaker contends that in such situations, it is not only acceptable but potentially necessary to believe without proof. They use the example of religious belief as a decision that is forced upon everyone, and one that has profound effects on life. The speaker concludes that the desire to avoid error should not prevent us from believing truths that are not completely certain, as this approach could lead to missing out on truths that are worth believing.

05:02

🌟 Belief and Reality Shaping

The speaker explores the idea that some truths, particularly in relationships and potentially with God, may require belief before they can be confirmed as true. They argue against Clifford's rule, which suggests withholding belief until all evidence is in, as this could prevent the discovery of truths that only reveal themselves through belief. The speaker uses the analogy of confidence and despair to illustrate how beliefs can shape reality. They explain that our minds are not detached observers but active participants in the world, and our beliefs can influence our actions, which in turn can shape the world to fit those beliefs. The speaker suggests that religious beliefs, especially those that involve hope and the potential for a better world with divine help, can be self-fulfilling. They emphasize the importance of hope in combating evil and suffering, and how belief in a better world can be a driving force to make it a reality.

Keywords

💡Faith

Faith, in the context of the video, refers to a strong belief in religious claims without requiring empirical evidence. It is central to the speaker's argument that one can have a responsible and rational belief in the absence of proof. The video emphasizes that faith is a personal conviction that guides decisions and actions, particularly in the realm of religion.

💡Justification by faith

Justification by faith is a theological concept suggesting that one's faith alone can lead to salvation or justification. The speaker uses this term to defend the idea that religious beliefs can be rational and responsible, even without concrete evidence, aligning with the broader theme of the video that faith is a valid basis for belief.

💡Proof

Proof, as discussed in the video, is the evidence or logical demonstration that confirms the truth of a proposition. The speaker argues against the notion that proof is a prerequisite for belief, especially in religious contexts, suggesting that many important decisions in life are made without definitive proof.

💡Decisions

Decisions are choices one makes between alternatives. The video highlights that people often make significant decisions without proof, such as choosing a career or a life partner. The speaker uses this to argue that religious beliefs are similar; they are decisions that can be made responsibly even without proof.

💡Live, forced, and momentous decisions

These terms describe the characteristics of decisions that are compelling and impactful. A 'live' decision is one where both options are appealing; 'forced' means one cannot avoid making a choice; and 'momentous' indicates the decision has significant life consequences. The speaker uses these terms to argue that the decision to be religious fits this description and thus justifies belief without proof.

💡Religious belief

Religious belief is a conviction in the existence of a higher power or divine being. The video discusses how religious belief can be a responsible choice even without empirical evidence, emphasizing the personal and existential nature of such beliefs and their role in shaping one's worldview and actions.

💡Clifford's rule

Clifford's rule, mentioned in the video, is a philosophical stance that it is morally wrong to believe anything on insufficient evidence. The speaker disagrees with this rule, arguing that some beliefs, particularly religious ones, can be held responsibly and rationally even if not proven.

💡Believing without proof

Believing without proof is the act of holding a conviction in the absence of definitive evidence. The video argues that this is not only acceptable but sometimes necessary, especially in the context of religious belief, where the nature of the subject matter may not lend itself to empirical verification.

💡Truth

Truth, in the video, refers to the accurate correspondence of a belief or proposition to reality. The speaker discusses the dilemma of seeking truth while avoiding error, suggesting that a strict adherence to proof can prevent one from believing in truths that are not completely certain but are still worth believing.

💡Hope

Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain outcome. In the video, hope is presented as a driving force behind religious belief, particularly the belief that with divine help, one can contribute to making the world a better place. The speaker suggests that hope can be a self-fulfilling belief, influencing actions that may realize the hoped-for outcome.

Highlights

The speaker defends the right to believe in religious claims without proof.

Religious belief can be responsible and rational even without convincing evidence.

We believe without proof in many aspects of life, including important decisions.

Decisions are considered 'live' if both options appeal to us, 'momentous' if they significantly affect our lives, and 'forced' if we cannot avoid making a choice.

The decision to be religious or not is forced, momentous, and live for everyone.

The speaker argues that we have a right, perhaps even a duty, to believe without proof in certain decisions.

The dilemma of wanting to believe the truth without risking error is discussed.

Some truths worth believing aren't completely certain, and we must accept this uncertainty.

The speaker is as afraid of not believing a true religious claim as believing a false one, leading to a choice to be religious.

Some things cannot be confirmed true until we believe them, such as relationships.

Beliefs about God might need to be believed before they can be confirmed true, as they relate to a personal relationship.

Clifford's rule is criticized for being unappealing because it doesn't account for beliefs that confirm themselves through belief.

Our beliefs can affect our behavior and shape the world to fit those beliefs.

There are limitations to how much our beliefs can reshape reality, but they can influence reality within our control.

Religious beliefs might affect regions of reality that can be influenced by our faith.

The belief in making a better world with divine help is an example of a belief that might help to make itself come true.

The speaker concludes by asserting the right to believe as a means to achieve hope and potentially reshape the world for the better.

Transcripts

I will be speaking with you today on the

subject of faith you've heard about

justification by faith well I want to

give you a justification of faith I want

to defend our right to believe in

religious claims for which we do not

possess proof I am sure you are aware

that some philosophers like wk Clifford

think it is irresponsible to believe

anything which has not been proven

especially anything religious I disagree

I think religious belief can be

responsible and rational even if we lack

convincing evidence for it let me give

you two reasons for my disagreement with

Clifford the first reason is that we

believe without proof all the time it is

just part of life so why make an

exception for religion we believe

without proof every time we have to make

certain types of decisions and don't

have proof which decision is right we

have better get a few terms straight I

am talking about decisions that are live

forced and momentous a live decision is

one where I have two options before me

and both of them appeal to me at least a

little a decision is momentous if it has

a huge effect on my life if I won't be

able to escape the consequences of the

decision if it turns out I am wrong I

risk something by deciding a decision is

forced if I cannot avoid either option

if I tell you either love me or hate me

the decision is not forced because you

can just beam different to me but if I

tell you either love me or don't you

have to do one or the other it is a

complete logical disjunction so you

cannot avoid going with one of the

alternatives even if you are indifferent

to me you will be choosing not to love

me now obviously the decision between

being say Protestant or Catholic is not

forced I can choose to be neither

similarly if I tell you to choose

between atheism and Christianity you can

easily avoid the decision by

practicing a different religion but let

me tell you something

you will either be religious or not you

do not have the option of avoiding both

you must either have at least one

religious belief or none at all the

decision to be religious or not is

forced for all of us

it is also momentous because it affects

our life and it is live for many of us

many of us could be religious or not

when a decision is live forced and

momentous we have a right perhaps even a

duty to believe without proof I must act

and so I must choose and so I must

believe that the coercive action chosen

is right now this is the heart of the

dilemma that we all face we would like

to believe the truth and avoid error but

we can't always have it both ways we can

be sure to avoid error if we never

believe anything less than completely

certain but then we won't believe any

truths that aren't completely certain

and we might as well admit that many

truths worth believing aren't that

certain people like Clifford recommend

not believing anything that hasn't been

proven are terrified of being taken in

of believing something false but they

sacrifice any chance of believing

something true that is worth believing

yet in certain in other words the

decision whether to be religious is just

one of those decisions life forces us to

make without perfect proof of what is

the best alternative it's like choosing

whether or whom to marry or what career

to take up we have to decide without

perfect proof and we have the right to

decide based at least in part on our own

passions not only on rational evidence

for my part I am just as afraid of not

believing a true religious claim as I am

of believing a false one so I choose to

be religious that is the first reason we

have a right to believe now my second

reason is a little subtle some things

cannot be confirmed true until we

believe them we can't withhold belief

until all the evidence comes in because

some of the evidence comes as a result

of our believing this is especially

common with relationships say we work

together and you respect me but I do not

know it but I believe that you do and I

begin the friendship with you experience

will soon confirm that you do respect me

but I am less likely to find that out if

I do not believe it now maybe some

religious beliefs cannot be confirmed

true until we believe them beliefs about

relationships are like that and some

religions say that the highest reality

is personal so we can have a

relationship with it so it is possible

that some of our beliefs about God also

have to be believed before they can be

confirmed true they can't be tested

without being believed and this is why

Clifford's rule is so unappealing to me

I simply cannot withhold my beliefs

until all the evidence comes in because

some evidence is the result of believing

but it's even better than that some

things are not even true until we

believe them some things become true as

a result of our believing them take an

everyday example the choice between

confidence and despair if I am about to

play a rugby game and I believe that I

can do a good job in it I will be better

able to do so as a result but if I

despair and believe I cannot do well the

belief that I will fail pretty much

guarantees that I will fail let me

explain this in a little more detail our

beliefs are true when they fit the world

we usually try to believe things because

they are true

but sometimes it works the other way

sometimes things become true as a result

of our believing them the reason is that

our minds do not have the function of

standing apart from the world and

observing our minds interact with the

world because we interact with the world

we are not spectators on reality but

active players in it and sometimes our

beliefs affect our behavior which in

turn shapes the world to make it fit

those beliefs now there are limitations

to this I can't make elves exist just by

believing they exist although that would

be really fun our beliefs can't create

reality out of nothing they can only

reshape the reality that is already

there and they can only reshape the

regions of reality that are at least

partially under our control obviously I

can't spread out my arms and fly to the

moon just by believing a can but there

are regions of reality that I can affect

by believing certain things about them

like the example from the rugby game now

back to religion there might be

religious beliefs about regions of

reality that can be affected by us for

example the belief that with God's help

we can make a better world I speak for

myself but I think I speak for a lot of

other people too when I say that there

is too much evil and too much suffering

to fight it to make a better world

unless we have hope religion gives me

hope I believe that with God's help we

can make a better world and without that

belief I don't know if I could even try

so the everyday choice of confidence

versus despair has religious

significance if we despair and do not

believe that we can make a better world

with divine help then we probably won't

but if we hope and believe that we can

make a better world with God's help

maybe we will have this strength to make

it happen maybe that belief will help to

make itself come true in the end that my

friends is why we have the right to

believe