True Believers

In response to problems surrounding the ascription of beliefs, Daniel Dennett developed his essay True Believers, where he outlined an intentionalist theory. My intent in this paper is to explain his ideas and defend on of his presuppositions, namely, that most of what people believe is true. First I will briefly explain intentionalism and point out why Dennett feels that his syst3em is so useful. Then I will explain the necessary pretension that most …

…a grander question such as whether there is a God or not may, at least initially, be rooted in the belief that one?s parents are always right and if those who are always right tell you that God does not exist, solid deductive reasoning leads to atheism. Here I will suggest that even those false beliefs are regarded as truths which would still provide a rational motivation for action- keeping Dennett?s thesis sound.