William James’s argument in “The Will to Believe” argues how although religion is not rational, it is sensible. The cause of this discussion was that university students said no free-thinking person should have faith without rationally demonstrating the belief. Religion in this case is defined as having faith in something without sufficient evidence. According to James, having a belief isn’t a choice; people just have them. However, there was a condition to his discussion—we can’t believe in anything we know is false. With this argument, he justifies and exculpates religious faith, saying that no matter whether a person is freely thinking, if they do not know for certain a belief is false, they can believe in it.
To know a belief is false
To know a belief is false