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What People Believe When They Say That People Believe
Todd E. Jones
€ 141.87
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Description for What People Believe When They Say That People Believe
Num Pages: 238 pages. BIC Classification: HPK. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 241 x 163 x 21. Weight in Grams: 526.
In modern life, we often hear people say things like, "Catholics don't believe in using birth control." There are many reasons that we want to know what groups of people (such as Catholics) are thinking and doing. But it's hard to understand which social situations are being described by such statements. It's also difficult to understand what speakers believe when they make such statements (even when the speakers are social scientists.) In this work, cognitive scientist and philosopher Todd Jones looks at the different things that social scientists and ordinary speakers mean when they make statements ascribing beliefs or actions to groups, rather than individuals. Such statements are often denigrated as mere stereotypes or generalizations. Yet they are also used by people to strategize about what actions to take, and even for social scientific explanations. In this work, Jones takes a detailed look at the different things these kinds of statements about groups can mean, and the various social structures they correspond to. He also looks at how such statements can and can't be used to successfully explain the behavior of individuals or groups. While many people broadly dismiss such statements about groups, Jones gives a careful discussion of the problems and possibilities such statements have.
Product Details
Publication date
2010
Publisher
Lexington Books United States
Number of pages
238
Condition
New
Number of Pages
238
Format
Hardback
Place of Publication
Lanham, MD, United States
ISBN
9780739148204
SKU
V9780739148204
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 15 to 20 working days
Ref
99-15
About Todd E. Jones
Todd Jones is associate professor and chair of philosophy at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is co-editor of Affirmative Action; Social Justice or Reverse Discrimination?.
Reviews for What People Believe When They Say That People Believe
In the increasingly complex and turbid literature on group intentions, this interesting book is welcome fresh air. Integrating insights from philosophy, cognitive science, and social science with folk conceptions of group activity, Professor Jones models what we believe when we form and communicate beliefs about groups of people. This stimulating book would be an excellent vehicle for introducing students to the fascinating topic of group intentionality.
Michael O'Rourke, University of Idaho
Michael O'Rourke, University of Idaho