When to Believe Upon Insufficient Evidence: Three Criteria

Abstract

It seems to me that many of our deepest, most cherished, and most stalwart beliefs lack epistemic justification and yet I think we have the right to hold many of these beliefs. In this paper, I will discuss what I will call salutary beliefs and distinguish them from epistemically justified beliefs. Next, I will discuss under what conditions it is proper for us to hold salutary beliefs, and finally, I will argue, that despite the fact that they lack epistemic justification, we may be as entitled to holding some salutary beliefs (some religious beliefs included) as we are to holding epistemically justified ones.