Shima Shahrestani; Hamidreza Ayatollahy
Volume 5, Issue 1 , August 2016, , Pages 51-76
Abstract
Against evidentialists’ views, especially Clifford’s, William James has presented his views about the effect of will on belief. According to Clifford, for everyone, always and everywhere, it is wrong to accept a belief without sufficient evidences. William James, in contrast, believes that ...
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Against evidentialists’ views, especially Clifford’s, William James has presented his views about the effect of will on belief. According to Clifford, for everyone, always and everywhere, it is wrong to accept a belief without sufficient evidences. William James, in contrast, believes that instead fear of error, which is the Clifford’s way to apply ethics on belief, it is better to think getting to truth. He attempts to show that this view is the justifier of religious beliefs, in the way that people, regardless to evidentialism, consider themselves right in their believing in religious beliefs. James' views in the article ‘will to believe’ is established on pragmatism, ethics and psychology. He believed ‘will’ impacts beliefs both in their creation and in their control. James's psychological point of view is dealt with belief creation and his ethical view is concerned with belief control. There are some criticisms against James’ viewpoint; based on one of them, his attitude relativizes the value of faith. Adding two conditions to James’ approach and turning it into an externalist theory to justify religious beliefs, Bishop tries to solve the problem. Evaluating the James’ approach, this paper aims to study the Bishop’s solution.
Mahdi Husseinzadeh Yazdi; Ali Akbar Ahmadi Afranjami
Volume 2, Issue 1 , January 2013, , Pages 1-17
Abstract
In the Tractatus, Wittgenstein declares that “There is indeed the inexpressible. This shows itself.” Theearly Wittgenstein believes that will and willing subject are inexpressible. In the 1914–1916 Notebooks, Wittgenstein uses four titles for subject: knowing subject, thinking subject, ...
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In the Tractatus, Wittgenstein declares that “There is indeed the inexpressible. This shows itself.” Theearly Wittgenstein believes that will and willing subject are inexpressible. In the 1914–1916 Notebooks, Wittgenstein uses four titles for subject: knowing subject, thinking subject, metaphysical subject, and willing subject. Willing subject is transcendental and the bearer of good and evil. Good and evil only enter through the subject. Without willing subject, there is not ethics. Wittgenstein explicitly states that ethics does not treat of the world. Ethics must be a condition of the world, like logic. Will, willing subject, and alien willare vaguely declared in Wittgenstein’s earlier teachings. This article tries to explain these concepts.
