SSMH CH.4-Matthew Matin

Moving to Chapter 4 of “Sick Souls, Healthy Minds.” What John Kaag is doing here is not merely teaching you a piece of history. Rather, it is a survival guide, and it is founded on William James’s most famous and, to tell the truth, most controversial idea: the will to believe.

This is not abstract philosophy. What Kaag argues, and what is proved by his example, is that such a notion is, at root, a notion of how a person actually conducts their life when, it seems, the answers to the big questions are beyond attainment.

From Spiritual Paralysis to Philosophical Breakthrough:

To fully understand what is meant by the ‘will to believe’, it is necessary to understand what James is saying. He did not pen these words while resting in his favorite armchair, with answers at his fingertips. As Kaag highlights, James is clearly a man who found himself in dark places.

He was struck powerless by massive questions, such as: Does free will exist? Do our decisions count, or are the answers predetermined?

James’ crisis, on the other hand, is more than a mere individual neurosis, but it is, after all, a philosophical earthquake of his time. With the advent of scientific materialism during the late 19th century, which proposed that whatever happens, including the functions of our minds, is actually a very complicated machine following definite laws, the role of human agency came under tremendous pressure. James, a doctor and psychologist, admired science, but science seemed to have left him stranded.

This insight only led to further desperation. The spiritual paralysis that Kaag speaks of came from his terror that his fight, his doubt, and his will to transcend his plight were themselves meaningless and predetermined events. He turned to science to provide answers and truths, but when science could not furnish definitive, irrevocable evidence for the existence of human free will, he came to a halt. There clearly had to be a mechanism to integrate scientific correctness with human free will, and it is precisely what "The Will to Believe" sets about accomplishing.

In Chapter 4, it is explained how James came up with the revolutionary notion of digging his way out. The revolutionary notion that James came up with was very simple yet profoundly transformative. What if, instead of starting with certainty, you could start with doing, and meaning and confidence could develop afterward? He knew that rather than waiting to start until he could prove things, he just needed to start so meaning could follow.

The Rules: When You’re Allowed to “Just Believe”

An important clarification: First, James is not suggesting folks should just believe in unicorns and deny science on climate change. His argument is strictly circumscribed. The “will to believe” is relevant only to very specific, high-risk decision-making situations where you’re faced with having to decide without the benefit of proof. Indecision is also a decision, and James surely understood this.

These are the conditions which must be satisfied before we may philosophically claim the right to utilize the "Will to Believe" principle:

Forced: You have to choose. You cannot opt out.

Live: The choice has to feel like it is possible and relevant to you.

Momentous: The importance is immense, and the implications are far-reaching, having real-life ramifications.

Why such criteria are important: The choice to wear blue versus red socks is a living (blue vs. red) but not obligatory (after all, I could go barefoot) and, most definitely, not momentous. James grants dispensation to act on intuition alone only when it is a question of survival.

A forced choice precludes the possibility of infinite neutrality; you are compelled to act. A live choice is what underlies having faith in reality—it must be something you can seriously consider, not merely a dream. What is most significant about the momentous element is the implicit importance of having the potential consequences prove life-shaping, irrevocable, and unique to the instant. When all three are present, the choice transcends remote puzzle-solving and becomes an urgent, unavoidable act of self-formation. These are the moments when crippling uncertainty is the deadliest adversary.

Look at the examples Kaag gives: Whether life has meaning, what career to pursue when the future is uncertain, and, most importantly, deciding to trust another person enough to share a life. These are not things that can be determined by a data set, and yet we are left to respond.

The Danger of Waiting for Proof:

Certainly, a very enlightening aspect of the chapter is James’ illumination regarding the distinction between finding truth and avoiding error. This is, of course, the essence of the ethical argument within the philosophy of knowledge, known as epistemology.

This is a reaction to the renowned philosophical argument on ethics by English philosopher Clifford. Clifford argued, "It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.” Clifford deemed it obligatory to avoid incorrect information. The common skeptic and rationalist believes it is always better to take a chance on nothing than to take a chance on incorrect information.

In contrast, James argued, if you’re constantly trying not to make mistakes, you could prevent yourself from ever finding the truth. If you never dared to take a stance, you'd never experience what could only be found by participating, such as true love, true friendship, or a sense of direction. James found Clifford’s philosophy lacking when it came to the most basic, self-justifying truths of life.

In his letter to his brother, James asked, "What if the truth is to be found only by believing?" What if "the very act of reaching out to trust is what brings about a trustworthy relation?" If Clifford waited to trust people only when and if they proved to be completely trustworthy, "he could very well undermine the possibilities of growing into a trusting relation."

     

     Clifford’s standard, James feels, is too aloof, too passive, and, finally, is just not compatible with "growing into a meaningful life."

A case in point is provided by Kaag, referring to James' choice on marriage. He has struggled with doubts – of self, of his beloved, and of the future to come. Had James waited until he reached irrevocable conclusions, maybe he never could have proposed to his wife. Love becomes real when commitment is made, not prior to it.

Courage is Acting Despite the Doubt

According to James, philosophy has to be practical. His notion of belief has to result in changed behavior, because if it fails to, it is merely an idea. Belief and practice are interlinked, and practice puts the believing to the test.

This gives James his definition of courage. James never defined courage as fearlessness and sureness. His defined courage is when people act while remaining uncertain. Life is not guaranteed, and if we are to wait to start until we are completely safe, then we never start anything important. As Kaag points out, the relevance of today is evident. We are faced with paralyzing decisions regarding career, relationships, and identity. To wait and see is safe. But James tells us to remember, the uncertainty is what living is, not what it escapes. Towards the end of the chapter, hope is another thing discussed by Kaag. Hope is not a passive feeling, according to James. Hope is something you must practice. You have to hope when the result is not guaranteed. Hope is a cognitive act of choosing to focus on possibility and not on probability. Hope is what keeps you oriented towards possibility and meaning, and it is a very important inner function to prevent you from giving up. James realized that philosophy could never dispel pain and uncertainty from life. Nevertheless, the "will to believe" is an extremely effective mechanism to overcome the obstacles and continue. Meaning is not something given to us. Rather, it is achieved after personally dedicated effort. We shape and mold our own life when we are uncertain, and not when uncertainty is dispelled. "The ‘will to believe’ is clearly the result of struggles with the problems of doubt and uncertainty which James knew intimately. Indeed, it is a highly persuasive argument against the importance of having absolute certainty before undertaking any act. In ‘high-stakes’ decisions, when faced with matters that are, by their very nature, meaningful and unavoidable, believing prior to proving is necessary. Believing, along with doing, is not folly—but it is an act of courage. And it is by such acts of courage that we engender relation, self, and meaning."