William James's Pragmatism and Theism

Jun 8, 2025

Overview

This lecture covers William James's pragmatic justification of theism as a response to William Clifford's evidentialism, focusing on the roles of reason and passion in belief, the concept of a "genuine option," and key criticisms of James's approach.

Clifford’s Two Rules for Belief

  • Clifford argues it's always wrong to believe something on insufficient evidence.
  • First Rule: Believing in spite of counter-evidence and no supporting evidence (due to passions) is wrong.
  • Second Rule: When there is no sufficient evidence for or against a belief, one must suspend judgment and remain neutral.

James’s Response to Clifford

  • James accepts Clifford’s first rule but rejects the second.
  • James claims that in special cases—where reason is neutral—it is permissible to let passions decide belief.
  • Religious belief is such a special case; when reason is neutral and a genuine option exists, passion may guide belief.

Determinants of Belief: Reason and Passion

  • Reason: The intellectual side, weighing evidence for or against beliefs.
  • Passions: Non-intellectual factors such as wants, needs, desires, and acts of will.

The "Genuine Option" and Its Criteria

  • A genuine option is a choice that is living, forced, and momentous.
    • Living: Both alternatives are appealing or interesting to the person.
    • Forced: The decision is unavoidable; there is no third alternative.
    • Momentous: The choice has significant consequences for one's life.

The Religious Hypothesis as a Genuine Option

  • The religious hypothesis has two parts: (1) God exists, and (2) we are better off if we believe God exists.
  • Vital goods from belief in God can include psychological benefits (peace, security, love) or religious benefits (eternal life, grace).
  • For many, the decision to believe in God is living (interesting), forced (cannot avoid the choice), and momentous (important consequences).

Criticisms of James's Pragmatic Justification

  • Critics argue James’s definition of truth (a belief is true if it works/has satisfactory consequences) is problematic.
  • Bertrand Russell and others support the correspondence theory of truth (beliefs are true if they correspond to facts, not just because they are useful).
  • Clifford would also side with Russell against James.

Key Terms & Definitions

  • Evidentialism — The view that beliefs should only be held with sufficient evidence (Clifford).
  • Genuine Option — A decision that is living, forced, and momentous (James).
  • Vital Good — Benefits gained from religious belief, either psychological or religious.
  • Pragmatic Theory of Truth — The belief that truth is what works or has practical benefits.
  • Correspondence Theory of Truth — The belief that truth is a matter of beliefs corresponding to external facts.

Action Items / Next Steps

  • Read Dr. Rowe's critical analysis, especially his criticisms on page 102.
  • Review examples and criticisms as discussed in Rowe and the lecture.
  • Prepare for next class on the problem of evil.