Philosophy
The Epistemology of Self-Deception and the Will to Believe
Quick fact
Philosopher William James argued that in certain 'genuine options'—forced, living, and momentous decisions—we are rationally justified in choosing to believe a proposition even without sufficient evidence, a stance famously opposed by W.K. Clifford, who insisted that 'it is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.'
Why this is interesting
Have you ever known something was true, yet chose to believe otherwise? How can we deceive ourselves if we are the ones doing the deceiving?