Prudential Objections to Atheism

Summary: In order for prudential objections to atheism to get off the ground, we must believe that we can have prudential reasons for and against believing things. In this chapter, I argue that a modest version of this view is more plausible than it may initially seem. I then explore two kinds of prudential reasons for belief: personal benefits like consolation, health, and community; and Pascal’s contention that we are more likely to experience an infinitely good afterlife if we believe in God.

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In order for prudential objections to atheism to get off the ground, we must believe that we can have prudential reasons for and against believing things. In this chapter, I argue that a modest version of this view is more plausible than it may initially seem. I then explore two kinds of prudential reasons for belief: personal benefits like consolation, health, and community; and Pascal’s contention that we are more likely to experience an infinitely good afterlife if we believe in God.

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Recommended citation: Askell, Amanda. ‘Prudential Objections to Atheism’. In A Companion to Atheism and Philosophy, edited by Graham Oppy. Wiley-Blackwell, 2019.