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Are beliefs the proper targets of adaptationist analyses?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 January 2010

James R. Liddle  and
Todd K. Shackelford
James R. Liddle
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL 33314. jliddle1@fau.eduhttp://www.jamesrliddle.comtshackel@fau.eduhttp://www.toddkshackelford.com
Todd K. Shackelford
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL 33314. jliddle1@fau.eduhttp://www.jamesrliddle.comtshackel@fau.eduhttp://www.toddkshackelford.com
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Abstract

McKay & Dennett's (M&D's) description of beliefs, and misbeliefs in particular, is a commendable contribution to the literature; but we argue that referring to beliefs as adaptive or maladaptive can cause conceptual confusion. “Adaptive” is inconsistently defined in the article, which adds to confusion and renders it difficult to evaluate the claims, particularly the possibility of “adaptive misbelief.”

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 32 , Issue 6 , December 2009 , pp. 528
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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