Are propositional attitudes mental states?

I present an argument that propositional attitudes are not mental states. In a nutshell, the argument is that if propositional attitudes are mental states, then only minded beings could have them; but there are reasons to think that some non-minded beings could bear propositional attitudes. To illus...

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Main Author: Baysan, U
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2022
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author Baysan, U
author_facet Baysan, U
author_sort Baysan, U
collection OXFORD
description I present an argument that propositional attitudes are not mental states. In a nutshell, the argument is that if propositional attitudes are mental states, then only minded beings could have them; but there are reasons to think that some non-minded beings could bear propositional attitudes. To illustrate this, I appeal to cases of genuine group intentionality. I argue that these are cases in which some group entities bear propositional attitudes, but they are not subjects of mental states. Although propositional attitudes are not mental states, I propose that they are typically co-instantiated with mental states. In an attempt to explain this co-instantiation, I suggest that propositional attitudes of minded beings are typically realized by mental states.
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spelling oxford-uuid:20ebca24-7918-4b58-b7cc-a850ba84873a2022-10-06T08:50:36ZAre propositional attitudes mental states?Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:20ebca24-7918-4b58-b7cc-a850ba84873aEnglishSymplectic ElementsSpringer2022Baysan, UI present an argument that propositional attitudes are not mental states. In a nutshell, the argument is that if propositional attitudes are mental states, then only minded beings could have them; but there are reasons to think that some non-minded beings could bear propositional attitudes. To illustrate this, I appeal to cases of genuine group intentionality. I argue that these are cases in which some group entities bear propositional attitudes, but they are not subjects of mental states. Although propositional attitudes are not mental states, I propose that they are typically co-instantiated with mental states. In an attempt to explain this co-instantiation, I suggest that propositional attitudes of minded beings are typically realized by mental states.
spellingShingle Baysan, U
Are propositional attitudes mental states?
title Are propositional attitudes mental states?
title_full Are propositional attitudes mental states?
title_fullStr Are propositional attitudes mental states?
title_full_unstemmed Are propositional attitudes mental states?
title_short Are propositional attitudes mental states?
title_sort are propositional attitudes mental states
work_keys_str_mv AT baysanu arepropositionalattitudesmentalstates