Freedom & Life

"There is no tooth in any one of those museum-skulls that did not daily through long years of the foretime hold fast to the body struggling in despair of some fated living victim."-William James

Suffering  

Our world consists of thousands upon thousands of philosophies, ideologies, religious views, and belief systems. The diversity in thought relevance and acceptance spurs debate and controversies, forging new ideas and perceptions about the world around us. Some have died over their rival views, while others have adapted throughout the ages. Yet, only one conclusion is confirmed among all peoples: suffering exists.

Suffering is inevitable in this life. Sorrow surrounds us, while death lurks behind every corner. Over the past decade, anxiety and depression have seen a dramatic increase among adolescents and young adults. As noted in Johnathan Haid’s book, The Anxious Generation, the American social psychologist and author highlights engagement tactics developed by technology institutions to promote addictive content. As a result, negative mental health statistics have seen a dramatic increase. As the world continues to thrive on division, violence, war, and political conflict, a solution of endurance is being pursued through various routes. To William James, one must be born of a new mindset—a new hope—to endure the brutality of life. 

  

(Access more at https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/research/the-evidence)

"The reality is suffering is not the exception but the rule."- SSHM Chapter 2

 

William James understood the unavoidable reality of suffering. In fact, he believed no creature is exempt from painful experiences. His solution to this dilemma was to be "twice born." To live life with meaning and hope. For William James, being born again was not confined by one revelation, rather a handful of revivals. Familiar with depression, William James constructed a philosophy and method for approaching hardships. Referring to Leo Tolstoy’s transformation, James notes, “The process is one of redemption, not of mere reversion to natural health, and the sufferer, when saved, is saved by what seems to him a second birth, a deeper kind of conscious being than he could enjoy before." (https://reasonandmeaning.com/2015/01/05/leo-tolstoy-meaning-and-a-leap-of-faith/). Transformation is not merely accessible to religious individuals; rather inner tranquility can be reached by all who seek it. William James explains four steps must occurred. First, a choice has to be made. One must choose to adopt a productive and generous outlook on life. As the body follows the mind, the mind is the powerhouse for effective thought production and beneficial degradation. Secondly, we must be risk-taskers. Nothing will ever advance or decline if no action is initiated. Third, one must act as a free individual, even if we cannot be certain unlimited freedom exists. Lastly, we are to understand that trials refine us. The Apostle Paul, a prominent religious figure in the Christian faith, wrote, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame.” 

(Explore more in William James view on Freewill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7nzy31gCng)

 

Freewill 

“By limiting chance to the generation of alternative possibilities, James was the first to overcome the standard two-part argument against free will, i.e., that the will is either determined or random. James gave it elements of both, to establish freedom but preserve responsibility. We show that James was influenced by Darwin’s model of natural selection, as were most recent thinkers with a two-stage model." -Boy Doyle Jamesian Freewill Abstract (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/~uctytho/DoyleOnDoyle2.pdf) 

Debate around the existence and form of freedom has largely impacted philosophical topics for hundreds of years. William James, an advocate for freewill, explained freedom in decision-making is a construction of both determinism and freewill. Past experiences dictate an individual's character, attitude, speech, and responses. For this reason, some argue decisions are predetermined by a past self. William James highlights this view offers little incentive to take risks and advance in life, as belief initiates action. Therefore, William James concluded, “My first act of freewill shall be to believe in freewill.”  

Belief is the underlying driving force within all of us. We rest our heads to sleep at night, believing we will rise the next morning. We act on faith in relationships, hoping that our beloved partner or friend will uphold loyalty, trust, honor, and love. Faith even extends to one's political and religious values—trusting that our foundation is built on the truth. 

Faith 

In willing to believe, humans voluntarily adopt faith amid insufficient proof of a higher power or tangible evidence. In marriage, two individuals unite under a perception of love. Love has no complete verifiable physical evidence; therefore, an act of faith is required by both individuals. James notes that belief in religious experience can offer hope, comfort, and meaning—regardless of the evidence presented. In the same way, non-religious individuals find foundation in their personal values and perceived truths. American authors, Frank Turek and Norman Geisler, highlight how faith that is involved in denying the existence of a higher power in their book I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist. William James focused his attention on the effects and potential benefits of a believing in a divine being, rather than on the existence of God itself.  

(More on this topic, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWGAEf1kJ6M)

Discussion 

• Do you believe the act of falling in love compares to believing in God? Both involve “blind faith.” 
• Do you believe we need to be “twice born?” 
• How has your life been impacted by faith? From a religious and non-religious perspective. 

 

Personal Response:  

I find it fascinating that William James believed in a rebirth experience. Even he—a nonreligious individual—recognized our intrinsic imperfections. Left alone with no guidance, hope, or purpose, humans can become miserable creatures. We all seek meaning, passion, and fulfillment. To ignore this existence, one would have to ignore reality. One commonality among depressed individuals is a lack of purpose. Humans, unlike any creature, have the ability to love. To hope. To mourn. To create. To bring other humans out of dark places. We have an intellect unmatched. Yet, even James knows, we are nothing without purpose: sick souls.  

 

To endure through suffering, we must realize that we are flawed people. Humility is the key to transformation, recognizing that we do not and will not know everything. Once we understand that we need a purpose, that purpose will infect all areas of our life, creating a “rebirth” from within. Purposes derive from any corner: religion, sports, family, friends, affirmation, success, recognition, etc.  

 

My purpose is to serve the One who has served me first. Faith is not without hardships. Regardless of what you choose to find hope in, faith is essential. Without faith, no action can be taken. I choose to put my faith in Jesus. In fact, Jesus said, “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33). Not once did Jesus say we will be exempt from suffering this life. Rather, He himself endured affliction and suffering. You will not find a more radical “philosopher” than Jesus.  

• “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
• "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment." 
• "If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles."
• “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,"
• “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" 
• -“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." 
•  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" 
• “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." 

(From Matthew 5-6: https://www.bible.com/bible/111/MAT.5.NIV) 

In my darkest hours, He has been the only Comforter and Refuge. Unlike many other religions, Christianity is not about what you can do, rather what He has already done. It is not about a religion, but a relationship. Many people fight over things they know nothing about—even self-proclaimed “Christians”, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc. 

I do not think the complexities and beauties of this life are coincidental. Choose to believe what you may. If one is willing to look beyond their own understanding in humility, only then could we maybe advance as a society. However, people are hard-hearted, unwilling to seek truth. I believe Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In 2023, when I had a traumatic car crash, only one word left my mouth (a word I do not say and had no thought behind). Yahweh. This the Hebrew name of the Biblical God, which translates to “I AM” and “I AM HE.”  

Written by: Abby Willis, 005