Blog Prompt :

Reconstruct one of his arguments (not the examples) in standard form. Then evaluate that argument for soundness and validity. What practical significance does Clifford’s thesis have? Do you see any fallacies in Clifford’s reasoning?

Premise 1: It is wrong to blindly form a belief.
Premise 2: The actions which stem from beliefs with insufficient evidence result in consequences for mankind.
Conclusion: Therefore, all beliefs must be followed up with evidence and supported by mankind, in order to proceed with action.

“And no one man’s belief is in any case a private matter which concerns himself alone. Our lives are guided by that general conception of the course of things which has been created by society for social purposes. Our words, our phrases, our forms and processes and modes of thought, are common property…” (Page 4)
“Belief, that sacred faculty which prompts the decisions of our will, and knits into harmonious working all the compacted energies of our being, is ours not for ourselves, but for humanity… it helps to bind men together, and to strengthen and direct their common action.” (Page 4)

The practical significance of Clifford’s thesis is that beliefs influence ones actions, and if that belief happens to be wrong or lacks evidence to back it up then the action that follows it may be one that stimulates danger. The two excerpts above, from Clifford’s reading suggests that belief’s stem not from ourselves, but from the beliefs of others which in return influenced us, and we pass that belief on. Hence, Clifford argues that it is the job of society to differentiate between a justified and unjust belief, and put an end to the belief’s which are not backed up with sufficient evidence, in order to prevent future occurrences.

Clifford’s examples of the shipowner, and the false accusation of higher-standing citizens, demonstrates his argument that beliefs without evidence should be suppressed. The shipowner relied on his mere belief that because his ship never failed him before, it shouldn’t fail him this time. And because of his belief that he need not repair his ship, he caused the death of men. And the members of the agitating society who accused the innocent men also based their assumptions without any support of proof, and in the end only built a bad reputation for themselves.

Clifford analyzed these situations by stating that regardless of whether or not their beliefs had turned out to be correct, in both scenarios, the shipowner and accusers would still be guilty of wrong beliefs. Clifford implies that ones belief, wrong or right, without sufficient evidence is still wrong.

When Clifford describes both situations he uses the slippery slope fallacy to examine how the result of the men’s beliefs would result in their actions, and further result in their guilt.

Based on Clifford’s examples to back up his thesis, his argument can be said to be valid but not sound. Although his premises are true, his conclusion that a belief should be eliminated if not backed up by evidence is something that realistically doesn’t happen in the real world.

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