William James argues that if we are faced with an important decision and if that decision involves two options and if science gives us evidence in favor of and in opposition to both options, then we should make a choice based on passion (emotion). For William James choosing to believe or not to believe in the existence of God is just such a decision; for his part, he chooses belief, not based on reason, but based on passion. When should passion overrule reason and vice versa?
Recently, there has been a great deal of discussion about vaccinations in the United States (and Colorado) and the basis on which people refuse to have their children vaccinated; can we apply James' analytical tools to cases such as these?
Craft a post in which you apply James' method of analysis to a problem of your own choosing (you may choose the topic of vaccinations or another topic). In your posting, be sure to carefully explain James' method, to thoughtfully apply that method to the problem you have selected (and this includes doing research and reading into the problem), and to offer your own decision, with justification, about what you would choose.