Document Type : Scientific-research
Author
Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Law and Theology, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran. Email: arab@uk.ac.ir
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.
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