Thinking about why we believe what we believe is not straightforward. It’s not as though we simply start from scratch and make a set of calculations, logical arguments, or synthetic demonstrations, and thereby arrive at “correct” conclusions, which we adopt as our belief system. Something deeper guides belief. On the other hand, we do make arguments to each other and even to ourselves, as though our opinions and beliefs have reasons – rational accounts that carry force beyond mere assertion or blind commitment.
