Final Blogpost: SSHM Chapter 6:Wonder and Hope- Dyauni Johnson H03

 Introduction

Chapter 6 in SSHM begins when author John Kaag stumbles across a little sign on the Brooklyn Bridge meant to dissuade jumpers and cause them to reconsider life’s worth. The sign simply reads “Life is worth living” and this causes John to think about why the sign is needed at all. If life's meaning is so inherent and we should and be so grateful to exist in this world why do so many people choose to end it by jumping?

All of us at some point have battled with the question if life is worth living no matter what your background is. While some of us may believe that under different circumstances life would be better and we wouldn’t feel this way, existential questioning is a part of life none of us can escape. Existential questioning is universal, cutting across all backgrounds; whether rich or poor, Christian or atheist, we all grapple with the question of life's value.

Even philosopher William James struggled with mental illness and found himself asking the same questions but was able to find solace in pragmatism. Pragmatism emphasizes the practical consequences of beliefs and actions, suggesting that we are born without inherent purpose, and it's up to us to give meaning to our lives by living according to our own truths. Chapter 6 gives us a guide on how pragmatism can help each of us find our purpose and give meaning to an otherwise meaningless life.

William James Father of Pragmatism

 William James was born in 1842 in New York, New York to a wealthy father, Henry James Sr. His father’s wealth afforded James luxuries like a prestigious education having studied not only in America but Europe as well. But his upbringing also afforded James a different privilege: freedom. Because of his father’s distaste for his own Calvinist upbringing and the doctrine of predestination, he instilled the value of freedom in all of his children, encouraging them to pursue their passions and exercise their free will. This created an environment where freedom was not just encouraged but expected.

However, this freedom took a toll on the young William James. James grappled with the weight of expectations and the burden of choice but also felt weighed down by forces out of his control. Since birth, he had struggled with his health and continued for the rest of his adult life. When the Civil War broke out his younger brothers enlisted to fight for their country and uphold the abolitionist values they were taught. But the oldest William James was unable to do the same despite his wish to do so because of his poor health and eyesight. James was limited by his health and it wouldn’t be the last time it held him back from his goals. He would have several other life events that would reinforce this feeling of being not in control. Including the most influential time when he visited an asylum and was sent into a spiral after he saw a man with epilepsy whose life was completely taken over by his condition (SSHM CH1 pg 38). This event further reinforced James’s notion of impotence in the face of fate. These experiences led James to look for a different philosophy that could make sense of free will in a world where everything seemed so determined. Pragmatism gave James hope and a sense of control, helping him find meaning in a seemingly fixed world.

Existential Questioning and Wonder

James believed that existential questioning was essential to life and was the root of philosophical exploration. In the Middle Ages, while life was brutal, people had no reason to wonder things like “Who am I?” or “What is my purpose?" because it was widely believed that the only purpose of humanity was to live according to God’s will. But as the Enlightenment came to be people took to science and blind faith was pushed out, which left a hole in people’s life that hope and religion once filled. 20th-century existentialist philosophers and William James alike recognized the need for a new source of meaning and faith that was compatible with the complexity of the modern world. James’s view aligned with the Existentialists of the time who believed in confronting existential questions, especially those concerning existence, purpose, and identity, and using them as a catalyst for self-discovery. 

Hope

Another tenant of pragmatism is Hope or the will to believe, which emphasizes the importance of holding onto beliefs that offer meaning and purpose. In James’s essay “The Will to Believe” he first acknowledges the human need for hope, he argues that individuals often encounter situations where there isn’t enough evidence to justify belief, yet people still feel compelled to hold onto them for the sake of hope or practical necessity. In these cases, the will to believe alone acts as a powerful force that drives individuals to embrace beliefs that align with their individual experiences and give them a sense of direction. For James, hope is not just wishful thinking; it's a pragmatic choice that can only be made through genuine options.

According to Wiliam James, a genuine option must follow the criteria of being of a “forced, living, and momentous kind.”Basically what this means is that for a person to hold one belief over another the belief has to be relevant or plausible for the potential believer, there is no possibility of not choosing, and the outcome is important. The example James gave to a majority Christian group between a living and dead option was that if he asked them to be “a theosophist or a Muslim” it would be a dead option for them because their current beliefs don’t support either notion whereas if he asked them to be agnostic or Christian it would be a genuine option because the concept of there being a god or not is already plausible to them based on their experiences even if they haven’t committed to either belief yet. Gregory B Sanders gives a thorough explanation of all criteria but for our purpose, James emphasizes that beliefs motivated by hope can lead to positive outcomes, even if they are not grounded in scientific truth.

 

Search for Meaning through Religious Experiences

So we now know James believed you must have wonder and hope to create a meaningful life but what does that look like? Well, James believed that meaning was created through personal experiences, attitudes, and beliefs so a meaningful life would look different for everyone. However, James also believed that finding a purpose greater than yourself could connect you to what he called the “spiritual self”, which is the intimate, inner subjective part of ourselves.  The spiritual self is the most important but also overlooked part of selfhood. To William James, the best and easiest way to connect with the “spiritual self” is through religious experiences. Religious experiences offer individuals a glimpse of the deeper realms of existence and allow us to extract wisdom or insight from whatever belief system we follow, whether it be communicating with the dead or mystical visions of God, James believed Encounters with the divine can deeply change how we think and what we believe, helping us understand ourselves and our role in the world better. These experiences often inspire us to live more genuinely, making sure our actions and goals match our spiritual beliefs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Chapter 6 of "Sick Souls, Healthy Minds" explores the question of life's value, drawing from William James's pragmatic philosophy. It emphasizes the universal experience of existential questioning and the human need for purpose. James's approach suggests finding meaning through personal experience and belief, offering hope and a guide through life's uncertainties. By embracing existential wonder and hope, individuals can navigate life's complexities and find solace in their own truths. James also highlights the role of religious experiences in shaping our understanding of self and world. Ultimately, the chapter provides a way to find meaning in a meaningless world through William James’s teachings or Pragmatism.