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Putting the Philosophy of Science into Mind: Knowing Minds By Models

Stieg, Chuck (2009) Putting the Philosophy of Science into Mind: Knowing Minds By Models. [Conference Paper] (Unpublished)

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Abstract

The philosophy of science can provide fruitful contributions to other areas of philosophy. In this paper, I argue that the application of work on the nature of theories helps to resolve a long-standing dispute on the philosophy of mind over mindreading. The Theory Theory and the Simulation Theory are two competing accounts of how it is that we explain and predict the actions and mental states of others. I discuss each view as well as some of their weaknesses. I suggest that the difficulties each faces depend in part on the notion of theory supposed to be at issue. After introducing an alternative notion of theory, a model-based view, I try to show that the problems of both views are diminished and that a synthesis results.

Item Type:Conference Paper
Keywords:Models, Simulation, Theory, Mindreading, Theory of Mind
Subjects:Philosophy > Philosophy of Mind
Philosophy > Philosophy of Science
Philosophy > Epistemology
ID Code:6729
Deposited By: Stieg, Chuck
Deposited On:22 Dec 2009 00:40
Last Modified:11 Mar 2011 08:57

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