Re: [xmca] Polls are closed: Manfred Holodynsk's article is choice

[Martin Packer <packer@duq.edu>]

Larry,

Charles Taylor has traced the history of the modern Western folk-psychology of self, in Sources of the Self. He traces three main lines, one of which has emphasized the power of disengaged, instrumental reason. I think you can see this at work in the contemporary psychology of mental states, which has a distinct flavor of Machiavellian strategizing: the individual planning in advance the impact they wish to have on others. Or the individual analyzing in a detached manner the beliefs and desires of another person in order to, I don't know, sell them a used car.  Taylor himself wants us to pay more attention to the historical line which has emphasized human imagination, creativity and involvement, and which he argues has had a much richer understanding of nature and our place within it.

Martin

On Mar 19, 2013, at 11:11 PM, Larry Purss <lpscholar2@gmail.com> wrote:

> Do you know of any authors or books which have traced the history of the
> development of *mental states* as a *folk* psychology?


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