Will to Believe: and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy (Barnes & Noble Library of Essential Reading)

These classic essays address concerns of religious faith from a philosophical perspective. "The Will to Believe" is a defense of the legitimacy of religious faith-though not as a defense of the validity of such faith. James responds to the often corrosive effect of rationality on religious faith by arguing that it is most rational to choose faith. He continues his argument in "Human Immortality," demonstrating that it is legitimate to believe in immortality to satisfy a spiritual need becau...