I used to think that belief was not an act of volition. I guess I was going on my own experience. If the evidence is strong enough I have no choice but to believe.
However, it's obvious that all of us would like to believe that which we would like to be true. What's more we all suffer from confirmation bias. That is we have an emotional resistance to changing our mind in the presence of contradictory evidence.
So it seems that if your emotions or instincts are involved in the item up for belief you at least have the choice of recognising this trait within yourself and of trying to be more objective, (or not as the case may be).
However, it's obvious that all of us would like to believe that which we would like to be true. What's more we all suffer from confirmation bias. That is we have an emotional resistance to changing our mind in the presence of contradictory evidence.
So it seems that if your emotions or instincts are involved in the item up for belief you at least have the choice of recognising this trait within yourself and of trying to be more objective, (or not as the case may be).
