Single Idea 5806

[catalogued under 11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 4. Belief / a. Beliefs]

Full Idea

Belief is the power of metarepresentation.

Clarification

'Meta-' means 'up a level'

Gist of Idea

Belief is the power of metarepresentation

Source

Fred Dretske (Naturalizing the Mind [1997], §2.3)

Book Reference

Dretske,Fred: 'Naturalizing the Mind' [MIT 1997], p.53


A Reaction

Hm. I have always defined belief as 'commitment to truth', and this definition leaves out both parts. Where is the commitment? If hope is another metarepresentation, how does it differ from belief? I imagine things, not believing them to be true.