How to Describe Irrationality? Irrational Belief Systems and Interpretationism in Philosophy of Mind Cover Image

Jak opisać nieracjonalność? Problem nieracjonalnych systemów przekonań a interpretacjonizm w filozofii umysłu
How to Describe Irrationality? Irrational Belief Systems and Interpretationism in Philosophy of Mind

Author(s): Maciej Tarnowski
Subject(s): Philosophy of Mind, Cognitive Psychology
Published by: Ośrodek Badań Filozoficznych
Keywords: rationality; interpretation; principle of charity; intentional stance; heuristics; folk psychology; belief ascription;

Summary/Abstract: One of the most popular and controversial theses in contemporary philosophical analysis of folk psychology and belief ascription is that every propositional attitude ascription must be preceded by the assumption of procedural rationality of the agent whose behaviour we are trying to interpret. This assumption seems to be challenged by research done in psychology, sociology and economics, which provides the examples of blatantly irrational behaviour. The aim of this paper is to briefly show the problems that such rationality assumption encounters and to offer an alternative view of interpretation theory based on approach given by „fast and frugal heuristics” programme in cognitive psychology. I identify two heuristics – Similarity and Disquotation Heuristic – that seem to play crucial role in our everyday belief ascriptions. I argue that this model is both more psychologically probable and more effective in explaining the cases of irrationality.

  • Issue Year: 2021
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 1-23
  • Page Count: 23
  • Language: Polish