Le droit de (ne pas) croire. Une réponse à Pascal Engel

Abstract

Pascal Engel published an article entitled “Le droit de ne pas croire” [The Right not to Believe]. He argues that religious beliefs are incapable of satisfying the epistemic standard of proof or sufficient reason and as such are irrational. May we not question such a standard? Religious beliefs are certainly not legitimate if they are false but they do not need to be justified to be rational. My answer to Pascal Engel is based on a different epistemology from that which he defends. Pascal Engel adopts a deontological conception of epistemology, while I defend a virtue epistemology. Through the question of the legitimacy of religious beliefs, the idea of what epistemology can be is examined.