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Single Idea 3987

[from 'Daniel Dennett on himself' by Daniel C. Dennett, in 18. Thought / A. Modes of Thought / 4. Folk Psychology ]

Full Idea

Like such abstracta as centres of gravity and parallelograms of force, the beliefs and desires posited by the highest intentional stance have no independent and concrete existence.

Clarification

'Abstracta' are purely theoretical ideas. The 'intentional stance' assumes fictions about the mind in order to interpret it

Gist of Idea

Like the 'centre of gravity', desires and beliefs are abstract concepts with no actual existence

Source

Daniel C. Dennett (Daniel Dennett on himself [1994], p.239)

Book Reference

'A Companion to the Philosophy of Mind', ed/tr. Guttenplan,Samuel [Blackwell 1995], p.239


A Reaction

I don't see why we shouldn't one day have a physical account of the distinctive brain events involved in a belief or a desire