24.00: Problems of Philosophy Prof. Sally Haslanger October 1. 2001 Pragmatism and Ideology Recap Evidentialism(Clifford): " It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence (p.113) Pragmatism(James ): Faced with a genuine choice about what to believe, and where evidence does not decide the matter, we are free to decide it however we want Oour passional nature not only lawfully may, but must, decide an option between propositions, whenever it is a genuine option that cannot by its nature be decided on intellectual grounds ( 127) i In the relevant cases, we are not rationallycompelled to believe p, but neither are we rationally compelled to withhold belief; it is rationally permissible to believe p or not believe p We considered James' argument that Clifford's commitment to evidentialism was based on"passion", not evidenc suggesting that Clifford's evidentialism was self-defeating But the self-defeat argument does not show that evidentialism is false; nor does it show that pragmatism is true or preferable Are there other arguments for pragmatism? IL. Arguments for pragmatism? James not saying that we can believe anything we like. There are special contexts where passion is permitted. In particular we must be faced with a"genuine choice". But what is special about these contexts that makes belief without evidence warranted? Examples: friendship, love, faith The desire for a certain kind of truth here brings about that special truthis existence. And where faith in a fact can help create the fact, that would be an insane logic which would say that faith running ahead of evidence is [wrong].(129) Consider religious faith One who would shut himself up in snarling logicality and try to make the gods extort his recognition willy-nilly or not get it at all, might cut himself off forever from his only opportunity of making the godsi acquaintance (130 St. augustine How can you believe if you don, t know? Answer: I believe so that I may know Possible Pragmatist principle: "A rule of thinking which would absolutely prevent me from acknowledging certain kinds of truth if those kinds of truth were really there, would be an irrational rule. "(131) S24.00: Problems of Philosophy Prof. Sally Haslanger October 1, 2001 Pragmatism and Ideology I. Recap Evidentialism (Clifford): "It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence" (p. 113) Pragmatism (James): Faced with a genuine choice about what to believe, and where evidence does not decide the matter, we are free to decide it however we want. Öour passional nature not only lawfully may, but must, decide an option between propositions, whenever it is a genuine option that cannot by its nature be decided on intellectual grounds. (127) ï In the relevant cases, we are not rationallycompelled to believe p, but neither are we rationally compelled to withhold belief; it is rationally permissible to believe p or not believe p. We considered James' argument that Clifford's commitment to evidentialism was based on "passion", not evidence, suggesting that Clifford's evidentialism was self-defeating. But the self-defeat argument does not show that evidentialism is false; nor does it show that pragmatism is true or preferable Are there other arguments for pragmatism? II. Arguments for Pragmatism? James not saying that we can believe anything we like. There are special contexts where passion is permitted. In particular we must be faced with a "genuine choice". But what is special about these contexts that makes belief without evidence warranted? Examples: friendship, love, faith. The desire for a certain kind of truth here brings about that special truthís existence...And where faith in a fact can help create the fact, that would be an insane logic which would say that faith running ahead of evidence is [wrong]. (129) Consider religious faith: One who would shut himself up in snarling logicality and try to make the gods extort his recognition willy-nilly or not get it at all, might cut himself off forever from his only opportunity of making the godsí acquaintance. (130) St. Augustine: How can you believe if you don't know? Answer: I believe so that I may know. Possible Pragmatist principle: "A rule of thinking which would absolutely prevent me from acknowledging certain kinds of truth if those kinds of truth were really there, would be an irrational rule." (131) So: