more from William James

Single Idea 18976

[catalogued under 28. God / B. Proving God / 3. Proofs of Evidence / d. Religious Experience]

Full Idea

I myself believe that the evidence for God lies primarily in inner personal experience.

Gist of Idea

Private experience is the main evidence for God

Source

William James (Pragmatism - eight lectures [1907], Lec 3)

Book Reference

James,William: 'Pragmatism - eight lectures' [Dover 1995], p.42


A Reaction

There is not much you can say to someone who claims incontrovertible evidence which is utterly private to themselves. Does total absence of private religious experience count as evidence on the subject?