VOLUNTARIST VIEWS OF FAITH.

1
VOLUNTARIST VIEWS OF FAITH.

• F.R. TENNANT.
• THE FAITH VENTURE.

2
PRELIMINARY POINTS.

• He said belief in God becomes reasonable if
  the idea of God be found indispensable for the
  explanation of the totality of our scientific
  knowledge about the individual mind.
• Class discussion
• What did he mean by this? Break it up into
  sections and jot down some notes.
• Faith is defined as willing adventure that
  plays a part in all discoveries. It reaches the
  ideally possible.
• Belief is defined as that which is concerned
  with fact or actuality.
• Class discussion
• Whats the difference between faith and belief?
• What has this to do with a voluntarist view of
  faith?

3
FAITH IN RELIGION AND SCIENCE.

• A hypothesis is needed in both.
• Both need to make this hypothesis real/actual by
  acting on it.
• Every machine of human invention has come about
  this way.
• Both, therefore need the faith venture.
• Without this venture nothing new would be
  discovered.
• Columbus discovery of America is given as an
  example.
• There is no guarantee that this faith venture
  will be guaranteed. It involves risks.
• But, a discovery is only made if risks are taken.
• So, Religion and Science are similar in the need
  for this faith venture.

• QUESTIONS.
• Suggest a hypothesis for both. (point 1.)
• What must then be done in point 2?
• Using adventure as a clue, write a few
  sentences on what taking the faith venture may
  mean for both. (point 4.)
• Why do you think Tennant used Columbus as an
  example? (point 6.)
• What risks may be involved in both? (point 7)
• Write a paragraph to sum up why Religion and
  Science are similar in the faith venture.
  (point 9.)
• What has this to do with the Voluntarist theory
  of faith?

4
VOLUNTARIST VIEWS OF FAITH.

• W. JAMES.
• THE WILL/RIGHT TO BELIEVE.

5
KEY WORDS FOR JAMES.

• INCLUDE THESE IN AN ESSAY

• HOMEWORK.

• PRAGMATIC.
• GENUINE OPTION.
• LIVING.
• FORCED.
• MOMENTOUS.
• PASSIONAL.

• Research the words on the left in relation to
  James work.
• Write a paragraph on each, saying what part they
  play in his Voluntarist view of faith.

6
JAMES IN CONTEXT.

• The sceptic W.K. Clifford said that -It is
  wrong everywhere, always and for anyone to
  believe on the basis of insufficient evidence.
• QUESTION.
• Do you agree or disagree ? Say why.

• James accuses Clifford of risking loss of truth
  rather than chancing error.
• James says that no conclusive evidence will ever
  arrive, so Religious faith cannot be just a
  matter of the intellect. We simply must decide.

7
ERROR ?

• Whatever our decision, yes, no or undecided,
  there is the chance of error.
• We also risk loss of truth.
• The decision cannot be made on intellectual
  grounds.
• So, one is justified in deciding on PASSIONAL
  grounds.

8
WHAT DOES PASSIONAL MEAN ?

• Hopefully, you did the homework and you know!
• It is the emotional side of our nature that we
  can base our decisions on.
• That is, decide according to what best fits with
  our hopes, fears and so on.
• James says that this passional decision will
  then be the one which is the most
  PRAGMATIC(practical) for our own happiness and
  satisfaction.

9
AN EXAMPLE TO USE IN AN ESSAY

• IS THERE LIFE AFTER DEATH?
• What is the most pragmatic decision ?

10
JAMES ANSWER.

• This is a genuine option, which is living, forced
  and momentous(see research.)
• The decision cannot be made on intellectual
  grounds.
• So, we lawfully may make our decision on
  passional grounds.

• If believing in life after death is the most
  pragmatic decision for me, that is, what best
  fits with my passional nature , then this
  belief is justified.
• This is more pragmatic for me than believing that
  there is no life after death.

11
WHAT IF I REMAIN IN DOUBT ?

• This is still a passional decision . He says
  that being in doubt would be more pragmatic than
  not believing in life after death, but not as
  pragmatic as if there was a belief in life after
  death.
• QUESTION.
• Which of the 3 options do you think is the most
  pragmatic ? Say why.

12
HOW DOES JAMES DECIDE?

• He says that a religious person still gains
  satisfactions here and now. This comes from
  believing that there is a life beyond.
• An atheist or agnostic does not expect a life
  beyond and so does not gain satisfaction from
  that in this life.
• A believer will die expecting a life beyond and
  will not know if s/he is wrong. So, it is more
  pragmatic for me to believe in it.
• Therefore, I WILL TO BELIEVE that the religious
  hypothesis is true. I will also live as though it
  is true.
• Although religious belief does not come through
  empirical means, we can get empirical
  confirmation of the religious belief.
• How? We can see the positive effects of religion
  an a persons life.
• To those who are not willing to make that
  decision he would say live and let live and
  go in peace.

13
JAMES CONCLUDED HIS WILL TO BELIEVE ESSAY WITH
A QUOTE FROM 19TH CENTURY AUTHOR, FITZ JAMES
STEPHEN

• In all important transactions of life we have to
  take a leap in the dark.... If we decide to leave
  the riddles unanswered, that is a choice if we
  waver in our answer, that, too, is a choice but
  whatever choice we make, we make it at our peril.
  If a man chooses to turn his back altogether on
  God and the future, no one can prevent him no
  one can show beyond reasonable doubt that he is
  mistaken. If a man thinks otherwise and acts as
  he thinks, I do not see that any one can prove
  that he is mistaken. Each must act as he thinks
  best and if he is wrong, so much the worse for
  him.

Click for more ...
14

• We stand on a mountain pass in the midst of
  whirling snow and blinding mist through which we
  get glimpses now and then of paths which may be
  deceptive. If we stand still we shall be frozen
  to death. If we take the wrong road we shall be
  dashed to pieces. We do not certainly know
  whether there is any right one. What must we do?
  ' Be strong and of a good courage.' Act for the
  best, hope for the best, and take what comes. . .
  . If death ends all, we cannot meet death better.

15
QUESTION.

• Work through the previous quote word by word,
  sentence by sentence.
• Explain why James chose this quote to end his
  work. How does it fit with his will to
  believe theory of faith ?
• Pass your answer to another member of the class
  and take someone elses answer. What can you add
  to their work?
• Have they found something you didnt ? Add it to
  yours.

16
VOLUNTARIST VIEWS OF FAITH

• B. PASCAL.
• HIS WAGER/BET.

17
WHERE CAN WE USE PASCAL?

• In your A2 work, Pascal can be used in questions
  concerning theories about the nature of faith
  and also in questions that ask whether faith is
  more valid if based on reason or revelation.
• Lets look at his Wager......

18
KEY WORD PRUDENCE.

• A dictionary defines this as cautious,
  discretion, foresight, careful management of
  resources, consideration of your own interests
  and so on.
• So, Pascal is saying that it is prudent to wager
  that God exists.
• Why ?....

19
IT IS PRUDENT BECAUSE..

• It is impossible to prove or disprove Gods
  existence(this is a clue to his views on reason.)
• So, he suggests we make a wager that God exists,
  which he says is a far more prudent/sensible
  wager than atheism.
• Why ?...

20
I BELIEVE THAT GOD EXISTS

• God does exist God does not exist
• Eternal life Nothing happens
• Clearly, believing is the only bet that allows
  you to gain anything.

21
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT GOD EXISTS

• God does exist God does not exist
• Eternal damnation Nothingness
• Clearly, not believing does not allow you to gain
  anything. In fact, if God does exist, you
  positively lose( a lot !)

22
SO, THE BEST BET..

• If we presume God exists and live life as if
  there is a God, there is no gain, but, there is
  no loss.
• If life has been lived as though there is a
  God(positive life), then there is a win-win
  situation.

• However, if we live as if there is no God, if
  there isnt, no gain but no loss.
• Live life as if there is no God, if there is,
  look out !
• So, the prudent wager is to live life as if there
  is a God.

23
USEFUL LINKS FOR ESSAY QUESTIONS.

• It is interesting to note that Pascal is saying
  atheism is unreasonable as it is not a safe bet.
• Whereas, Kierkegaard says the exact opposite it
  is because faith is risky that it gains its
  value.

24
PASCALS GOD.

• Pascals God is the God of the Bible, the God of
  the theologians.
• It is not the God of the philosophers.
• Question.
• What does this mean for his views of revelation
  and reason ?

25
GOD OF THE BIBLE.

• This God is loving, guiding, 3 in one(trinity)
  and so on.
• The God of the philosophers is Prime Mover, First
  Cause and so on.

26
IMPLICATIONS.

• He rejected Natural Theology(using reason to
  discover God.)
• Hence, his classic quote the heart has reasons
  the mind never thought of.
• We should Hear God. This is an allusion to
  Gods revelation.
• Question
• What do his quotes tell you about his views on
  reason and revelation?

27
Revelation and the wager.

• Although faith is not based on reason it is still
  reasonable.
• This is because the results of the wager show
  that it is more prudent to believe than to not
  believe.
• So, accepting Gods revelation is by far the best
  bet !