The virtue of faith

Abstract

In defense of the idea that faith is a virtue, it is argued (1) that cognitive states, such as belief and unbelief, can be ethically praised and blamed though they are not voluntary, and (2) that there are many cases in which it is rightness rather than rationality that ought to be praised in beliefs. Further (3), the relation of unbelief to fear and to the desire for control of one’s life is explored; and it is argued (4) that faith has some advantage over sight in the development of non-manipulative personal relationships.