The Nature of Belief from Price's Perspective

Arabgoorchooee, Fatemeh

doi:10.22059/jop.2025.397754.1006914

Document Type : Scientific-research

Author

Fatemeh Arabgoorchooee

Assistant Professor Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Law and Theology, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22059/jop.2025.397754.1006914

Abstract

The present article examines the nature of belief from the perspective of Henry Habberley Price. Price offers a novel analysis of the concept of belief, considering it as a complex mental state. Using an analytical-descriptive method, this study explores Price's theory on the nature of belief. The findings indicate that Price interprets belief not merely as a cognitive proposition but as a dynamic and interactive process between reason and emotion. He outlines a two-stage process of belief formation—examining a proposition and its assent—emphasizing that assent itself consists of both volitional and emotional elements. This approach provides a clearer understanding of the nature of belief. While Price’s view is noteworthy for its meticulous effort to analyze the belief process, its integration of reason and emotion in belief formation, its attention to the role of volition in beliefs and the responsibility associated with them, and its attempt to clarify the concept of knowing, there remain significant challenges that call for further revision. These include ambiguities in the concept of assent as the central element in belief formation, the difficulty of indirect control over belief, the persistence of resistant beliefs, the relationship between belief and knowledge, and insufficient attention to socio-cultural factors.

Keywords

Main Subjects

philosophy

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The Nature of Belief from Price's Perspective

References

References

Volume 23, Issue 2 - Serial Number 45February 2026Pages 177-201

Volume 23, Issue 2 - Serial Number 45
February 2026
Pages 177-201