9798991539708 - Why Your Grandma's Belief in God is Justified: Uncovering the Pragmatic Root of Rationality by Bessis, John D (2 results)

PAP. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000.

Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. Modern critics often dismiss belief in God as irrational-a comforting illusion lacking hard evidence. But what if the standard for "rational belief" is itself flawed? Challenged by figures like Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins, John Bessis set out to scrutinize the foundations of his faith. His journey led to a striking conclusion: belief in God is rational-it works, even for everyday believers like his grandmother. Drawing on William James' pragmatism, Bessis argues that rationality is not a static standard but an adaptive fit between concept and context. In doing so, he shifts the focus from the form of truth to its mediating function-its power to marry inner life and outer reality. Truth happens to an idea when it gathers our scattered thoughts, feelings, and actions into an organic harmony with the surrounding world. Using this functionalist framework, Bessis shows how faith is justified by its pragmatic fruits. Belief in God is true not merely because it holds together logically, but because it holds us together. This book is for people who instinctively know that they shouldn't have to choose between their head and their heart; for sensitive logicians and logical poets who sense that deep feeling and deep thinking are inseparable. It's for seekers who want to believe but don't want to sacrifice their intellectual integrity to do so, and for pious souls who want to better articulate the reasons for their hope. This book bridges the mystical and the scientific, the practical and the philosophical, mind and spirit, by uncovering their underlying unity in our passional nature. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.