Folk Belief and Commonplace Belief

Abstract

Our position on eliminativism is very different from Barbara Hannan’s as far as premisses go, though we agree with her overall conclusion that eliminativism is to be rejected. We hold: (i) that beliefs and desires (and the propositional attitudes in general, but we will follow the common practice of focusing on beliefs and desires), are, according to the folk conception of them, posits of an explanatory theory of behaviour, the theory known as ‘folk psychology’; (ii) that, in consequence, neuroscience might show that there are no beliefs and desires; but (iii) that we know enough about the genesis of behaviour to know that this will not happen. The case for such a position calls for a book, not a discussion, but we will aim to say enough to indicate its possibility and appeal. Show more