ABSTRACT
When we examine the grounds upon which human beings believe this or that, we find that they are of two sorts. They may believe something on the basis of evidence such as would be considered relevant in a scientific investigation or a law court, or they may believe solely because what they are believing feels right. As Tennyson says:
In Tennyson’s day what the heart felt was the creed of a liberal Churchman. In earlier epochs it had felt that witches ought to be burnt or children sacrificed or parents eaten. The evidence for Tennyson’s beliefs was no better and no worse than the evidence for these earlier beliefs. On the whole, as men become more civilized, the sphere of evidence in the formation of beliefs becomes larger, and the sphere of imagination smaller. But even in the most civilized communities the function of imagination in determining beliefs and supporting institutions is very great.
