He is widely considered to be one of the most important epistemologists and philosophers of religion of the twentieth century,[1] and is also known for his work in metaphysics and the philosophy of language.

[2] His views on foundationalism, internalism and externalism, speech acts, and the epistemic value of mystical experience, among many other topics, have been very influential.

During this time, he became interested in philosophy, sparked by W. Somerset Maugham's book The Razor's Edge, and read the works of well-known philosophers such as Jacques Maritain, Mortimer J. Adler, Francis Bacon, Plato, René Descartes, and John Locke.

[4] Alston was honorably discharged from the US army in 1946,[1] going on to enter a graduate program for philosophy at the University of Chicago, even though he had never formally taken a class on the subject.

[1] Together with Alvin Plantinga, Nicholas Wolterstorff, Robert Adams, and Michael L. Peterson, Alston helped to found the journal Faith and Philosophy.