Abstract

Some propose that God must be hidden if we are to exercise control over whether we believe that God exists and that our ability to exercise such control is an important good of mystery. All versions of this proposal assume volitionalism, the view that we are able to exercise some control over whether we believe. The more plausible versions assume indirect volitionalism, the view that this control is indirect. Some versions say that it is especially valuable for people to believe that God exists in conditions in which there is religious ambiguity – conditions in which both belief and unbelief are rational. The most plausible versions of this proposal add that there are certain attitudes that inhibit theistic belief, whereas other attitudes facilitate it.