Belief as Commitment to the Truth

Abstract This chapter explores belief as a commitment to the truth, highlighting its distinction from other cognitive attitudes like accepting, assuming, or imagining. It argues that belief involves more than just regarding a proposition as true; it requires committing to the truth by subjecting one’s representation of it to a normative standard of correctness. The chapter explains how this commitment makes belief uniquely responsive to evidence, unlike assumptions or imaginations. It also addresses three key puzzles related to belief: doxastic voluntarism, the aim of belief, and Moore’s paradox. Finally, the chapter concludes that belief is a volitional act, forming a voluntary commitment to truth and resolving these puzzles while aligning belief with evidence-based reasoning.