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The Will to Make‐Believe: Religious Fictionalism, Religious Beliefs, and the Value of Art
Author(s) -
Sauchelli Andrea
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
philosophy and phenomenological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1933-1592
pISSN - 0031-8205
DOI - 10.1111/phpr.12328
Subject(s) - jargon , value (mathematics) , epistemology , set (abstract data type) , point (geometry) , religious belief , psychology , sociology , social psychology , aesthetics , philosophy , linguistics , computer science , geometry , mathematics , machine learning , programming language
I explore some of the reasons why, under specific circumstances, it may be rational to make‐believe or imagine certain religious beliefs. Adopting a jargon familiar to certain contemporary philosophers, my main concern here is to assess what reasons can be given for adopting a fictionalist stance towards some religious beliefs. My understanding of fictionalism does not involve solely a propositional attitude but a broader stance, which may include certain acts of pretence. I also argue that a plausible reason to be fictionalist about a specific set of religious beliefs and practices has to do with the value of some artistic creations; namely, those that require the adoption of a religious point of view for their understanding.