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Full Idea
It is not easy to employ our folk psychology in the understanding of persons in a very different culture.
Gist of Idea
Folk psychology works badly for alien cultures
Source
William Lyons (Approaches to Intentionality [1995], p.241)
Book Ref
Lyons,William: 'Approaches to Intentionality' [OUP 1998], p.241
A Reaction
This strikes me as a highly significant problem for the friends of folk psychology. It also breaks down in extreme situations, or with mental illness. It seems closer to culture than to brain structure.
| 2978 | Consciousness no longer seems essential to intentionality [Lyons] |
| 2979 | Propositional attitudes require representation [Lyons] |
| 2977 | All thinking has content [Lyons] |
| 2986 | Belief is the most important propositional attitude [Lyons] |
| 2987 | Folk psychology works badly for alien cultures [Lyons] |
| 2984 | Perceptions could give us information without symbolic representation [Lyons] |