McGregor_et_al-2020-Minds_and_Machines.pdf (1.04 MB)
The physical mandate for belief-goal psychology
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 20:49 authored by Simon McGregor, Ron ChrisleyRon ChrisleyThis article describes a heuristic argument for understanding certain physical systems in terms of properties that resemble the beliefs and goals of folk psychology. The argument rests on very simple assumptions. The core of the argument is that predictions about certain events can legitimately be based on assumptions about later events, resembling Aristotelian ‘final causation’; however, more nuanced causal entities (resembling fallible beliefs) must be introduced into these types of explanation in order for them to remain consistent with a causally local Universe.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Published version
Journal
Minds and MachinesISSN
0924-6495Publisher
Springer VerlagExternal DOI
Department affiliated with
- Informatics Publications
Research groups affiliated with
- Centre for Cognitive Science Publications
- Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes