volitionalism means the theory that belief is voluntary. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 86 out of 100.
Why “volitionalism” is a great word
Volitionalism is the philosophical doctrine that belief is an act of will and thus subject to direct, voluntary control. From volitional (relating to the will or volition) + -ism (denoting a system, theory, or doctrine). Unlike doxastic involuntarism, which holds that beliefs arrive unbidden like weather, or epistemic externalism, which locates justification in processes outside conscious command, volitionalism places the lantern of belief squarely in the hand. It is the deliberate clench of the jaw to accept a painful truth, the conscious effort to sustain faith in the face of doubt, and the silent command to banish a tempting illusion—a quiet assertion of sovereignty in the mind's most private chamber.
Etymology
From volitional + -ism.
noun
- The theory that belief is voluntary