Is hope good?

The virtue of hope was espoused by Barack Obama in his successful presidential campaign in 2008, and in his best selling book: The Audacity of Hope. Previous leaders and institutions have preached the psychology of hope, while others have condemned it as a tool used by the powerful who want to keep their followers in blind unfulfilled servitude.

Implications to Other Questions

Is optimism rational?

Is hope good?

Experts and Influencers

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Agree

Experts In Religion

The Catholic Church Largest Christian Church

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Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.

The Faithful Pitch

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01 Jan 1992 Source

Experts In Politics

Barack Obama United States President

Agree

Hope in the face of difficulty, hope in the face of uncertainty, the audacity of hope. In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation; a belief in things not seen; a belief that there are better days ahead.

The Faithful Pitch The Glittering Generality Pitch

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27 Jul 2004 Source

Disagree

Experts In Philosophy

Friedrich Nietzsche Iconic Philosopher of 19th Century

Disagree

Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torment of man.

The Nature is Nasty Pitch

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01 Jan 1878 Source

Experts In Politics

Benjamin Franklin Founding Father of United States

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He that lives upon hope will die fasting.

The Nature is Nasty Pitch

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01 Jan 1758 Source

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1 Point Adam Atlas 26 Apr 2010 Stance on Question: Neutral

Sometimes. I love what Eliezer wrote about it: "Thou shalt not pursue hope as an emotion, only actual positive outcomes." Don't pursue hope for its own sake, disconnected from good reasoning about your actual expectations. Then you're just setting yourself up for disappointment. Good hope is hope that will likely be fulfilled, and lest you cloud your judgment with wishful thinking, you should figure out the likelihood of an outcome before allowing yourself to feel good about anticipating it.