Theorizing information sources for hope: belief, desire, imagination, and metacognition

Abstract

Hope is a positive attitude oriented toward a possible (yet uncertain), desired outcome. Though hope is a virtue, hopelessness is widespread and seems related not only to current events but also to information about current events. This paper examines how hope can be sparked through information. This study uses the philosophical methods of conceptual analysis and design to advance a theoretical argument. First, a conceptualisation of hope is offered, drawing on work primarily in virtue ethics. Then, four types of information sources for hope are theorised, building on and synthesising work from philosophy and psychology. Four categories of information source conducive to hopefulness are identified: information for forming beliefs about the past or future; information for engaging the moral imagination regarding possibilities for the future; information for sparking desire for particular moral outcomes; and information for metacognition, or about how we become informed with respect to hope. Hope is, in many cases, responsive to information. This suggests a moral opportunity for information professionals and scholars to work toward connecting people with information for hope, particularly in difficult times. Avenues for further research, particularly in information behaviour and practices, are suggested.