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Normativity of Intentionality and Content and its Implication for Cognitive Sciences

Kazemi, Alireza | 2020

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  1. Type of Document: Ph.D. Dissertation
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 52962 (42)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Philosophy of Science
  6. Advisor(s): Azadegan, Ebrahim
  7. Abstract:
  8. The idea that the intentional states are essentially normative has been much discussed in the philosophies of mind and cognitive sciences in the past few decades. The main idea is that some norms are essentially engaged in constituting the nature of the intentional states. Reaching an accurate formulation of this thesis and arguing for and against it has sparked much disagreements among the proponents and the opponents alike. This dissertation makes the case for a particular version of this thesis, according to which the intentional states, particularly beliefs and intentions, are construed as theoretical and practical commitments. This is the view which has already been defended by several normativists. This dissertation develops this view, draws its implications and shows that this particular version of normativism is interestingly able to defuse some of the most serious arguments raised against normativism, including the No-Guidance Argument. Addressing the consequences of normativism in general, and the commitment-based normativism in particular, for the philosophy of cognitive sciences is the next step taken by this dissertation. To this end, the autonomy of an important part of the common sense psychology with respect to the explanations yielded by various natural sciences (particularly cognitive sciences) is defended and, finally, the relationship between the explanations provided by the cognitive sciences and their success with this essentially normative view of the mind is discussed. The upshot is that despite the best efforts of the anti-normativists, the essential normativity of the mental remains a viable position and, given that, the scientific naturalist conception of the human mind is plagued with a serious challenge
  9. Keywords:
  10. Intentionality ; Normativism ; Essential Normativity of the Mental ; Rule-Following ; Conceptual Mental Content

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