more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
Premeditated cognitive management is possible if knowing the contents of one's thoughts would tell you what would make them true and what would cause you to have them.
Gist of Idea
Control of belief is possible if you know truth conditions and what causes beliefs
Source
Jerry A. Fodor (The Elm and the Expert [1993], §4)
Book Ref
Fodor,Jerry A.: 'The Elm and the Expert' [MIT 1995], p.101
A Reaction
I love the idea of 'cognitive management'. Since belief is fairly involuntary, I subject myself to the newspapers, books, TV and conversation which will create the style of beliefs to which I aspire. Why?
| 3271 | We can't control our own beliefs [Nagel] |
| 2462 | Control of belief is possible if you know truth conditions and what causes beliefs [Fodor] |
| 3566 | We control our beliefs by virtue of how we enquire [Williams,M] |
| 4764 | We cannot directly control our beliefs, but we can control the causes of our involuntary beliefs [Engel] |
| 8847 | Beliefs are not chosen, but you can seek ways to influence your belief [Pryor] |