When Belief Outruns Evidence

Reed Winegar examines Kant's account of hope and belief, tracing how these concepts connect to his moral philosophy. The lecture begins by considering evidentialism, the view that we should only believe what our evidence supports, and explains why Kant rejects this strict standard. Winegar distinguishes between pragmatic, moral, and doctrinal belief in Kant's framework, arguing that moral belief holds a special place. He then traces the development of Kant's thinking across the Critique of Pure Reason, the Groundwork, and the Critique of Practical Reason, showing how Kant builds a case for believing in God and immortality on moral grounds rather than theoretical evidence. The lecture addresses key objections, including the worry that an asymptotic approach to perfect virtue never actually secures it, and the question of why moral belief requires a theistic God specifically. Winegar concludes by exploring Kant's use of divine symbolism and analogy, suggesting that the role of symbols in human understanding deserves greater attention in Kant scholarship.