The Ethics Of Belief Wk Clifford Analysis
“The Ethics of Belief” written by W.K. Clifford. Explains the idea of belief and moral righteousness by coming up with the conclusion that it is morally incorrect to believe in a claim with insufficient evidence or to create a claim without sufficient evidence. Clifford brings about various analogies that prove his claim to be true such as the ship-owner and the religious group on the island. Although these ideas helped set out the theory efficiently, William James essay “The Will to Believe” believes in the opposite by stating that anyone can believe in anything without the sufficient evidence provided for a specific claim. James’s, the essay provides counterexamples to Clifford’s work as well as provides strong examples and positions to help
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set up various theories in the matter and by providing a strong main argument throughout this essay.
William James begins his essay by explaining how religious faith is rational even though many of his students are not open to this belief. He hopes that his Yale and Brown students are open to the existence of God. His essay later turns towards the position itself. The problem that James is tackling in this essay has to do with Clifford’s main thesis in his essay which is we cannot believe anything without sufficient evidence. In other words, “Believe in nothing, he tells us, keep your mind in suspense forever rather than by closing it on insufficient evidence incur the awful risk of believing lies.” (James, 133) James sets out the problem by mentioning that not a lot of people find this issue a big deal. James believes that there are certain situations that are a lot worse than being duped. Someone who does believe in only believing something because of insufficient evidence is critical of themselves and carries a fear that they cannot detach from themselves. James believes that embracing error is healthier than having an irrational fear of our errors when it comes to our beliefs. He also tackles the idea of not having a forced option at all. The solution to this problem is to believe in our intellectual hypothesis. A new problem is soon introduced “…and can we always wait with impunity till the coercive evidence shall have arrived?” (James, 135) He sets out the problem by explaining that the cake and batters do no come out even nor do they come out clean once they leave, this example brings him to the conclusion that it is a priori improbable for the truth to be easy and well adjusted when it arrives at some point. One of the alternative positions he introduces is the act of not making up our mind until we gain sufficient evidence. This position is characterized when he mentions scientists and lawyers who use this method in order to believe in something without a doubt. But for us, this would be a dead hypothesis because it does not appeal to our nature. He rejects this point by bringing up another alternative position which is “The attitude of skeptical balance is, therefore, the absolutely wise one if we wish to escape mistakes.” (James, 134) He believes that some problems are not forced upon us which should lead us to look towards the pros and cons of a situation. This is later rejected when he mentions that there are risks for this type of method by presenting this example. A man loses a relationship with a girl because he has a hard time believing whether or not she will be either an “angel” or a “devil” once she enters his home. This would lead him to skepticism which would result in him not gaining the information required to know whether she will be either the “angel” or “devil”. The main arguments used to reject the alternative positions all lead up to his thesis “Our passional nature must, and lawfully may, decide an option between propositions, whenever it is a genuine option that cannot by its nature be decided on intellectual grounds; for to say, under such circumstances, “Do not decide but leave the question open,” Is itself a passional decision, just like deciding “yes” or “no”, and is attended with the same risk of losing the truth…” (James, 133) The defined concepts and key terms have also supported this thesis. The definitions and concepts included were the ideas of live and dead hypotheses and the idea of options. He defined these phrases and concepts by creating connections between each definition and concept. For example, he defined the concept of religion as a momentous and forced option which makes it a genuine option. Speaking of religion, James soon concludes his essay by stating that believing in religion is a genuine option and the belief in God is rational instead of non-believing which is irrational.
James brings a good understanding when setting out the problem, by explaining the main or the alternative positions within the essay with clear cut examples.
The idea of scientists and lawyers/ judges using the method of gaining enough evidence before believing in a claim was a good example provided when explaining one of the alternative positions. Which was the theory of waiting until sufficient evidence is provided to support a certain claim? Although this helps for scientists and judges it does not help for the rest of us because for our understanding this method is out of place. James explains this by mentioning that we are not truth seekers and we cannot get certain topics out of the way, the way a scientist of a lawyer can. Examples such as this one help explain the main thesis and does not reflect any sort of defects within the essay which results in the essay being satisfactory as well as agreeable. Many other alternative positions mentioned in this essay were also agreeable and satisfactory. The definitions, as well as the concepts presented in this essay, also provided a better understanding of the thesis. By connecting the definitions to construct the concepts clearly. Although he provides a sufficient amount of examples and positions for his main argument, James did not provide clear opposing arguments in his essay. His essay explained the examples and the points provided to enhance his argument but did not provide enough opposing arguments to support the claim. There was not enough emphasis on the opposing arguments. James argument is sound as well as satisfactory because it helps understand the notion behind understanding the need to believe in certain topics such as religion without sufficient evidence. In other words, using our passions to help understand the idea of God’s existence opposed from our reasons. James provides strong evidence to support his claim that the idea of God’s existence is rational instead of irrational because of the idea of
following your passions instead of relying on your reasons. By providing examples such as an individual who lives in fear of error and another individual who loses certain opportunities due to the errors and the reasons that come with it. While James argues that it is not a big deal for such an error to occur Clifford would see it as sinful due to the belief that someone decided to take action based on their insufficient belief. To Clifford without sufficient belief an individual is creating a huge loss towards mankind. James theories on the other hand such as the idea of believing in God based on our passions gives us a very good understanding behind the underlying claim James provides in his essay. The underlying message in James work is the idea of God and the religious beliefs that go along with it, James theories help provide strong and satisfactory examples to help prove the point better. The idea of believing with your heart (passions) is a lot better than believing with your mind (reasons) because it helps provide a better understanding of the idea of religion and existence. In other words, belief comes from within a person than from outside influences.
Clifford explains the idea of belief and moral righteousness by coming up with the conclusion that it is morally incorrect to believe in a claim with insufficient evidence or to create a claim without sufficient evidence. James believes that it is okay to believe in anything without sufficient evidence. His claim helps us understand the idea behind the theory of God. Which he explains as God’s existence being rational while Clifford, explains that it is an irrational belief due to the insufficient evidence of God that is already considered. Although there is not enough evidence to provide a reason for God’s existence the idea of using your passions in your religious belief is a lot more effective. In conclusion, James idea behind believing without sufficient evidence is strong due to the fact that it provides strong and a solid amount of arguments to help and support the main thesis of the essay.
set up various theories in the matter and by providing a strong main argument throughout this essay.
William James begins his essay by explaining how religious faith is rational even though many of his students are not open to this belief. He hopes that his Yale and Brown students are open to the existence of God. His essay later turns towards the position itself. The problem that James is tackling in this essay has to do with Clifford’s main thesis in his essay which is we cannot believe anything without sufficient evidence. In other words, “Believe in nothing, he tells us, keep your mind in suspense forever rather than by closing it on insufficient evidence incur the awful risk of believing lies.” (James, 133) James sets out the problem by mentioning that not a lot of people find this issue a big deal. James believes that there are certain situations that are a lot worse than being duped. Someone who does believe in only believing something because of insufficient evidence is critical of themselves and carries a fear that they cannot detach from themselves. James believes that embracing error is healthier than having an irrational fear of our errors when it comes to our beliefs. He also tackles the idea of not having a forced option at all. The solution to this problem is to believe in our intellectual hypothesis. A new problem is soon introduced “…and can we always wait with impunity till the coercive evidence shall have arrived?” (James, 135) He sets out the problem by explaining that the cake and batters do no come out even nor do they come out clean once they leave, this example brings him to the conclusion that it is a priori improbable for the truth to be easy and well adjusted when it arrives at some point. One of the alternative positions he introduces is the act of not making up our mind until we gain sufficient evidence. This position is characterized when he mentions scientists and lawyers who use this method in order to believe in something without a doubt. But for us, this would be a dead hypothesis because it does not appeal to our nature. He rejects this point by bringing up another alternative position which is “The attitude of skeptical balance is, therefore, the absolutely wise one if we wish to escape mistakes.” (James, 134) He believes that some problems are not forced upon us which should lead us to look towards the pros and cons of a situation. This is later rejected when he mentions that there are risks for this type of method by presenting this example. A man loses a relationship with a girl because he has a hard time believing whether or not she will be either an “angel” or a “devil” once she enters his home. This would lead him to skepticism which would result in him not gaining the information required to know whether she will be either the “angel” or “devil”. The main arguments used to reject the alternative positions all lead up to his thesis “Our passional nature must, and lawfully may, decide an option between propositions, whenever it is a genuine option that cannot by its nature be decided on intellectual grounds; for to say, under such circumstances, “Do not decide but leave the question open,” Is itself a passional decision, just like deciding “yes” or “no”, and is attended with the same risk of losing the truth…” (James, 133) The defined concepts and key terms have also supported this thesis. The definitions and concepts included were the ideas of live and dead hypotheses and the idea of options. He defined these phrases and concepts by creating connections between each definition and concept. For example, he defined the concept of religion as a momentous and forced option which makes it a genuine option. Speaking of religion, James soon concludes his essay by stating that believing in religion is a genuine option and the belief in God is rational instead of non-believing which is irrational.
James brings a good understanding when setting out the problem, by explaining the main or the alternative positions within the essay with clear cut examples.
The idea of scientists and lawyers/ judges using the method of gaining enough evidence before believing in a claim was a good example provided when explaining one of the alternative positions. Which was the theory of waiting until sufficient evidence is provided to support a certain claim? Although this helps for scientists and judges it does not help for the rest of us because for our understanding this method is out of place. James explains this by mentioning that we are not truth seekers and we cannot get certain topics out of the way, the way a scientist of a lawyer can. Examples such as this one help explain the main thesis and does not reflect any sort of defects within the essay which results in the essay being satisfactory as well as agreeable. Many other alternative positions mentioned in this essay were also agreeable and satisfactory. The definitions, as well as the concepts presented in this essay, also provided a better understanding of the thesis. By connecting the definitions to construct the concepts clearly. Although he provides a sufficient amount of examples and positions for his main argument, James did not provide clear opposing arguments in his essay. His essay explained the examples and the points provided to enhance his argument but did not provide enough opposing arguments to support the claim. There was not enough emphasis on the opposing arguments. James argument is sound as well as satisfactory because it helps understand the notion behind understanding the need to believe in certain topics such as religion without sufficient evidence. In other words, using our passions to help understand the idea of God’s existence opposed from our reasons. James provides strong evidence to support his claim that the idea of God’s existence is rational instead of irrational because of the idea of
following your passions instead of relying on your reasons. By providing examples such as an individual who lives in fear of error and another individual who loses certain opportunities due to the errors and the reasons that come with it. While James argues that it is not a big deal for such an error to occur Clifford would see it as sinful due to the belief that someone decided to take action based on their insufficient belief. To Clifford without sufficient belief an individual is creating a huge loss towards mankind. James theories on the other hand such as the idea of believing in God based on our passions gives us a very good understanding behind the underlying claim James provides in his essay. The underlying message in James work is the idea of God and the religious beliefs that go along with it, James theories help provide strong and satisfactory examples to help prove the point better. The idea of believing with your heart (passions) is a lot better than believing with your mind (reasons) because it helps provide a better understanding of the idea of religion and existence. In other words, belief comes from within a person than from outside influences.
Clifford explains the idea of belief and moral righteousness by coming up with the conclusion that it is morally incorrect to believe in a claim with insufficient evidence or to create a claim without sufficient evidence. James believes that it is okay to believe in anything without sufficient evidence. His claim helps us understand the idea behind the theory of God. Which he explains as God’s existence being rational while Clifford, explains that it is an irrational belief due to the insufficient evidence of God that is already considered. Although there is not enough evidence to provide a reason for God’s existence the idea of using your passions in your religious belief is a lot more effective. In conclusion, James idea behind believing without sufficient evidence is strong due to the fact that it provides strong and a solid amount of arguments to help and support the main thesis of the essay.