James, The Will to Believe

A set of vocabulary flashcards derived from William James' 'The Will to Believe', covering key terms and concepts in the lecture.

justification

The act of showing something to be right or reasonable; a defense of religious belief based on faith.

sanctification

The process of being made holy or set apart for sacred use.

hypothesis

A proposed explanation or assumption that can be tested; can be classified as live or dead depending on its appeal to the individual.

live hypothesis

A hypothesis that is appealing and considered a real possibility to the individual thinker.

dead hypothesis

A hypothesis that does not appeal or make a connection to the individual's belief system.

option

A choice between two or more alternatives, where decisions may be living or dead, forced or avoidable, momentous or trivial.

forced option

An option that cannot be avoided; a decision that must be made without the possibility of remaining neutral.

momentous option

An option where the stakes are a significant gain or loss; a decision that holds great importance.

trivial option

An option that carries little significance or consequence; a decision that is easily reversible.

religious hypothesis

The assertion in religion that the highest good equates with eternal values, suggesting potential gains through belief.

objective evidence

Evidence perceived as absolute and indisputable; the notion that certain truths can compel certainty in knowledge.

empiricism

The belief that knowledge comes from sensory experience and is validated through systematic observation and experimentation.

passional nature

The emotional and volitional aspects of a person that influence their beliefs and decision-making.

will to believe

The concept that individuals have the right to choose to believe in certain hypotheses, especially when they cannot be proven or disproven by intellect alone.

Clifford's Principle

The ethical obligation to only believe something based on sufficient evidence; it posits that it is wrong to hold beliefs without adequate justification.