What is hope?. (10th August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kwong, Jack M. C.
• Is Part Of: European journal of philosophy. Volume 27:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 243
• Page End: 254
• Publication Date: 2018-08-10
• Subjects: Philosophy -- Periodicals; Philosophy, European -- Periodicals; Philosophy, Modern -- 20th century -- Periodicals; 190
• DOI: 10.1111/ejop.12391
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0966-8373

Abstract

Abstract: According to the standard account, to hope for an outcome is to desire it and to believe that its realization is possible, though not inevitable. This account, however, faces certain difficulties: It cannot explain how people can display differing strengths in hope; it cannot distinguish hope from despair; and it cannot explain substantial hopes. This paper proposes an account of hope that can meet these deficiencies. Briefly, it argues that in addition to possessing the relevant belief–desire structure as allowed in the standard account, a hopeful person must also be able to see a way in which the desired outcome can come about and to see such a way to the outcome as a genuine possibility.