The Ethics of Belief. [By William K. Clifford. A Paper Read Before the Metaphysical Society.]

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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 8 pages
Book Rating : 4.51/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis The Ethics of Belief. [By William K. Clifford. A Paper Read Before the Metaphysical Society.] by :

Download or read book The Ethics of Belief. [By William K. Clifford. A Paper Read Before the Metaphysical Society.] written by and published by . This book was released on 1876 with total page 8 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

W. K. Clifford and "The Ethics of Belief"

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Publisher : Cambridge Scholars Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1443802638
Total Pages : 200 pages
Book Rating : 4.35/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis W. K. Clifford and "The Ethics of Belief" by : Timothy Madigan

Download or read book W. K. Clifford and "The Ethics of Belief" written by Timothy Madigan and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2008-12-18 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: W. K. Clifford (1845-1879) was a noted mathematician and popularizer of science in the Victorian era. Although he made major contributions in the field of geometry, he is perhaps best known for a short essay he wrote in 1876, entitled "The Ethics of Belief", in which he argued that "It is wrong always, everywhere, and for any one, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence." Delivered initially as an address to the august Metaphysical Society (whose members included such luminaries as Alfred Lord Tennyson, William Gladstone, T. H. Huxley, and assorted scientists, clerics and philosophers of differing metaphysical views, "The Ethics of Belief" became a rallying cry for freethinkers and a bone of contention for religious apologists. It continues to be discussed today as an exemplar of what is called 'evidentialism', a key point in current philosophy of religion debates over justification of knowledge claims. In this book, Timothy J. Madigan examines the continuing relevance of "The Ethics of Belief" to epistemological and ethical concerns. He places the essay within the historical context, especially the so-called 'Victorian Crisis of Faith' of which Clifford was a key player. Clifford's own life and interests are dealt with as well, along with the responses to his essay by his contemporaries, the most famous of which was William James's "The Will to Believe." Madigan provides an overview of modern-day critics of Cliffordian evidentialism, as well as examining thinkers who were positively influenced by him, including Bertrand Russell, who was perhaps Clifford's most influential successor as an advocate of intellectual honesty. The book ends with a defense of "The Ethics of Belief" from a virtue-theory approach, and argues that Clifford utilizes an "as-if" methodology to encourage intellectual inquiry and communal truth-seeking.' The Ethics of Belief' continues to provoke and stimulate controversy, which was perhaps Clifford's own fondest hope, although he had no right to believe it would do so.

Evidentialism and the Will to Believe

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Publisher : A&C Black
ISBN 13 : 1623560179
Total Pages : 241 pages
Book Rating : 4.71/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Evidentialism and the Will to Believe by : Scott Aikin

Download or read book Evidentialism and the Will to Believe written by Scott Aikin and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2014-07-17 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Work on the norms of belief in epistemology regularly starts with two touchstone essays: W.K. Clifford's "The Ethics of Belief" and William James's "The Will to Believe." Discussing the central themes from these seminal essays, Evidentialism and the Will to Believe explores the history of the ideas governing evidentialism. As well as Clifford's argument from the examples of the shipowner, the consequences of credulity and his defence against skepticism, this book tackles James's conditions for a genuine option and the structure of the will to believe case as a counter-example to Clifford's evidentialism. Exploring the question of whether James's case successfully counters Clifford's evidentialist rule for belief, this study captures the debate between those who hold that one should proportion belief to evidence and those who hold that the evidentialist norm is too restrictive. More than a sustained explication of the essays, it also surveys recent epistemological arguments to evidentialism. But it is by bringing Clifford and James into fruitful conversation for the first time that this study presents a clearer history of the issues and provides an important reconstruction of the notion of evidence in contemporary epistemology.

The Ethics of Belief and Beyond

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Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1000062007
Total Pages : 270 pages
Book Rating : 4.07/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis The Ethics of Belief and Beyond by : Sebastian Schmidt

Download or read book The Ethics of Belief and Beyond written by Sebastian Schmidt and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-04-03 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume provides a framework for approaching and understanding mental normativity. It presents cutting-edge research on the ethics of belief as well as innovative research beyond the normativity of belief—and towards an ethics of mind. By moving beyond traditional issues of epistemology the contributors discuss the most current ideas revolving around rationality, responsibility, and normativity. The book’s chapters are divided into two main parts. Part I discusses contemporary issues surrounding the normativity of belief. The essays here cover topics such as control over belief and its implication for the ethics of belief, the role of the epistemic community for the possibility of epistemic normativity, responsibility for believing, doxastic partiality in friendship, the structure and content of epistemic norms, and the norms for suspension of judgment. In Part II the focus shifts from the practical dimensions of belief to the normativity and rationality of other mental states—especially blame, passing thoughts, fantasies, decisions, and emotions. These essays illustrate how we might approach an ethics of mind by focusing not only on belief, but also more generally on debates about responsibility and rationality, as well as on normative questions concerning other mental states or attitudes. The Ethics of Belief and Beyond paves the way towards an ethics of mind by building on and contributing to recent philosophical discussions in the ethics of belief and the normativity of other mental phenomena. It will be of interest to upper-level students and researchers working in epistemology, ethics, philosophy of action, philosophy of mind, and moral psychology.

The Ethics of Belief and Other Essays

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Publisher : Prometheus Books
ISBN 13 : 1615923454
Total Pages : 154 pages
Book Rating : 4.58/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis The Ethics of Belief and Other Essays by : William Kingdon Clifford

Download or read book The Ethics of Belief and Other Essays written by William Kingdon Clifford and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2010-09-30 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anythingupon insufficient evidence." -- W. K. CliffordThe above forthright assertion of mathematician and educator W. K. Clifford (1845-1879) in his famous essay "The Ethics of Belief" drew an immediate response from Victorian-era critics, who took issue with his reasoned and brilliantly presented attack on beliefs "not founded on fair inquiry." An advocate of evolutionary theory, Clifford recognized that working hypotheses and assumptions are necessary for belief formation and that testing and assessing one''s beliefs in light of new evidence strengthens those worthy of being held. "The Ethics of Belief" is presented here in complete form, along with an insightful biographical introduction by editor Timothy J. Madigan. Also included are four other noteworthy essays by Clifford: "On the Aims and Instruments of Scientific Thought," "Right and Wrong," "The Ethics of Religion," and "The Influence upon Morality of a Decline in Religious Belief."

Belief's Own Ethics

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Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 9780262261371
Total Pages : 388 pages
Book Rating : 4.75/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Belief's Own Ethics by : Jonathan E. Adler

Download or read book Belief's Own Ethics written by Jonathan E. Adler and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2006-01-20 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The fundamental question of the ethics of belief is "What ought one to believe?" According to the traditional view of evidentialism, the strength of one's beliefs should be proportionate to the evidence. Conventional ways of defending and challenging evidentialism rely on the idea that what one ought to believe is a matter of what it is rational, prudent, ethical, or personally fulfilling to believe. Common to all these approaches is that they look outside of belief itself to determine what one ought to believe. In this book Jonathan Adler offers a strengthened version of evidentialism, arguing that the ethics of belief should be rooted in the concept of belief—that evidentialism is belief's own ethics. A key observation is that it is not merely that one ought not, but that one cannot, believe, for example, that the number of stars is even. The "cannot" represents a conceptual barrier, not just an inability. Therefore belief in defiance of one's evidence (or evidentialism) is impossible. Adler addresses such questions as irrational beliefs, reasonableness, control over beliefs, and whether justifying beliefs requires a foundation. Although he treats the ethics of belief as a central topic in epistemology, his ideas also bear on rationality, argument and pragmatics, philosophy of religion, ethics, and social cognitive psychology.

Lectures and Essays by the Late William Kingdon Clifford, F.R.S.

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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 456 pages
Book Rating : 4.80/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Lectures and Essays by the Late William Kingdon Clifford, F.R.S. by : William Kingdon Clifford

Download or read book Lectures and Essays by the Late William Kingdon Clifford, F.R.S. written by William Kingdon Clifford and published by . This book was released on 1901 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Arguing About Knowledge

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Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 100015498X
Total Pages : 640 pages
Book Rating : 4.86/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Arguing About Knowledge by : Duncan Pritchard

Download or read book Arguing About Knowledge written by Duncan Pritchard and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-07-24 with total page 640 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is knowledge? What are the sources of knowledge? What is the value of knowledge? What can we know? Arguing About Knowledge offers a fresh and engaging perspective on the theory of knowledge. This comprehensive and imaginative selection of readings examines the subject in an unorthodox and entertaining manner whilst covering the fundamentals of the theory of knowledge. It includes classic and contemporary pieces from the most influential philosophers from Descartes, Russell, Quine and G.E. Moore to Richard Feldman, Edward Craig, Gilbert Harman and Roderick Chisholm. In addition, students will find fascinating alternative pieces from literary and popular work such as Lewis Caroll, Jorges Luis Borges and Paul Boghossian. Each article selected is clear, interesting and free from unnecessary jargon. The editors provide lucid introductions to each section in which they give an overview of the debate and outline the arguments of the papers. Arguing About Knowledge is an inventive and stimulating reader for students new to the theory of knowledge.

The Will to Believe

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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 360 pages
Book Rating : 4.55/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis The Will to Believe by : William James

Download or read book The Will to Believe written by William James and published by . This book was released on 1896 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Believing Against the Evidence

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Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1136682686
Total Pages : 159 pages
Book Rating : 4.81/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Believing Against the Evidence by : Miriam Schleifer McCormick

Download or read book Believing Against the Evidence written by Miriam Schleifer McCormick and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-10-30 with total page 159 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The question of whether it is ever permissible to believe on insufficient evidence has once again become a live question. Greater attention is now being paid to practical dimensions of belief, namely issues related to epistemic virtue, doxastic responsibility, and voluntarism. In this book, McCormick argues that the standards used to evaluate beliefs are not isolated from other evaluative domains. The ultimate criteria for assessing beliefs are the same as those for assessing action because beliefs and actions are both products of agency. Two important implications of this thesis, both of which deviate from the dominant view in contemporary philosophy, are 1) it can be permissible (and possible) to believe for non-evidential reasons, and 2) we have a robust control over many of our beliefs, a control sufficient to ground attributions of responsibility for belief.