Rethinking Mental Language: Toon's Fictionalism and its Philosophical Roots.

The article reviews Adam Toon’s book, *Mind as Metaphor: A Defence of Mental Fictionalism*, which argues that discussions about mental states, such as beliefs and desires, are more akin to fictional storytelling than to literal representations of cognitive processes. Toon challenges the traditional...

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Publicado en:Problems / Problemos Vol. 107; pp. 220 - 224
Autor principal: Srivastava, Ayush
Formato: Book Review
Publicado: Vilnius University 2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        atl: Rethinking Mental Language: Toon's Fictionalism and its Philosophical Roots.
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        au: Srivastava, Ayush
        affil: Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India
      su:
        Fictionalism (Philosophy)
        Metaphor
        Modern philosophy
        Desire
        Mental representation
        Notions (Philosophy)
        Cognitive science
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        subj:
          Fictionalism (Philosophy)
          Metaphor
          Modern philosophy
          Desire
          Mental representation
          Notions (Philosophy)
          Cognitive science
      keyword:
        Cartesianism
        Mental Fictionalism
        Metaphors
        Representational theory
        Ryle
      ab: The article reviews Adam Toon’s book, *Mind as Metaphor: A Defence of Mental Fictionalism*, which argues that discussions about mental states, such as beliefs and desires, are more akin to fictional storytelling than to literal representations of cognitive processes. Toon challenges the traditional representational theory of mind, asserting that mental representations are useful fictions rather than actual entities. He draws on various philosophical traditions, including critiques of Cartesianism and the role of metaphor in understanding the mind, suggesting that mental language should be viewed metaphorically rather than literally. The review highlights the book's contributions to ongoing debates in mental philosophy while also noting potential limitations regarding its implications for cognitive science.
      pubtype: Review
      doctype: Book Review
      src: R
    language: English
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