William James Forced Belief Analysis

William James, the great philosopher and psychologist in the turn of the 19th century had a great deal of beliefs on free will. These beliefs had changed over the years of being a philosopher and psychologist as well as life events that formed his beliefs. While living at home after receiving his Doctor of Medicine degree he battled ill health along with severe depression. According to William James, the depression he was experiencing was due to “crisis of meaning” that were brought by his studies. At this time in his life he believed that the belief in free will and God were just illusions. By this belief he then started believing that his illnesses were genetic and that he would never be able to overcome them. In April of 1870, William …show more content…
One of James’ arguments in the essay was that there is genuine choice and forced belief within religion. The difference between genuine choice and forced belief according to William James is that people have individual choices to believe but within certain religions there are certain facts that become forced beliefs. For genuine choice to occur there have to be three key components that need to be present according to William James’ theory they include: that the choice must be live, forced, and momentous. A live choice includes an emotional appeal to the one choosing it. The forced choice has to have an either/or answer included in it. Finally, the momentous choice is the matter with significant …show more content…
Harris says simply that free will makes no sense. Therefore, those who believe they have a choice when they act and can be held responsible for what they do are being “duped by their biology.” Harris makes this example, when someone decides to perform an action and then acts on that decision. The thought process they go through is “I choose a over b” and that thought comes in the mind in the same way a painful experience or a craving for chocolate does. The thought on what humans will choose are not controlled by the humans. Harris believes it just appears “out of the darkness.” Additionally, humans cannot trace or find the root of where the thought comes from. Its beginning is a produced by a complex nexus of biology and environment about which no human knows a lot of information on and has no control of. Harris then asks this question; if this is an accurate way to describe and explain this situation and the thought-process, how can we conclude that humans are free and how would that satisfy those who believe that humans are liable for every choice they make? Harris answer is; there is no rational answer that can be given to this response or question. Therefore, free will must be a false