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Full Idea
We can have false beliefs, or some degree of ignorance, about our own mental lives. For example, about our own dispositions, such as not believing that we have a certain ignoble desire.
Gist of Idea
We can be ignorant about ourselves, for example, our desires and motives
Source
Robert Audi (Epistemology: contemporary introduction [1998], III p.83)
Book Ref
Audi,Robert: 'Epistemology: a contemporary introduction' [Routledge 1998], p.83
A Reaction
This idea, that we don't know ourselves, has become a commonplace of recent philosophy, but I am unconvinced. Mostly we know only too well that we harbour a base desire, and we feel a creeping sense of shame. Total ignorance is very rare.
2726 | We can be ignorant about ourselves, for example, our desires and motives [Audi,R] |
3162 | Experiments prove that people are often unaware of their motives [Rey] |
3163 | Brain damage makes the unreliability of introspection obvious [Rey] |
2414 | When distracted we can totally misjudge our own experiences [Chalmers] |
4622 | Error must be possible in introspection, because error is possible in all judgements [Heil] |