The Ethics of belief
Is it wrong to believe in something without truly knowing about it? W.K. Clifford believed so. It is always wrong to believe anything without sufficient evidence. A belief could hurt people around you. If a shipowner convinces himself that his unsteady ship is safe, he is in the wrong. Even if the ship sinks or not. If a belief without sufficient evidence is wrong, then to believe in a God with no proof is wrong.
William James does not agree with this claim. He argues that a person does not choose but just has beliefs. When a challenging option comes up, it is better to let our passional nature take over. Moral problems are answered from personal experience and proof of what one believes. Not every question or problem can have a sufficient reasoning and may be better to let your own beliefs take over.
