Knowledge Tree
occurrent belief
Also known as: occurrent belief, Occurrent beliefs
Facts (11)
Sources
Pluralism About Group Knowledge: A Reply to Jesper Kallestrup ... social-epistemology.com Jan 20, 2023 9 facts
claimAccording to one philosophical view, occurrent beliefs possess conscious phenomenological properties.
referenceJesper Kallestrup characterizes occurrent belief as 'a thought currently endorsed' in his 2022 paper.
claimTypically, when an occurrent belief has a causal effect in action, the physical instantiation of the belief itself plays a direct causal role, whereas a dispositional belief typically must be activated in some way to play a direct causal role in action.
claimIf occurrent belief is construed as 'information currently endorsed', the Chicago Police Department's belief that Jimmy Smith is in Rogers Park in the 'MISSING CHILD*' case can be regarded as occurrent because the information was printed out as a result of computer collation, despite no human member being aware of it.
claimRik Peels (2016) explicitly defines dormant and tacit beliefs as being non-occurrent.
claimRose and Schaffer (2013) accept that occurrent beliefs are also dispositional.
claimGroup beliefs can be classified as both occurrent and dispositional because they are simultaneously activated and available.
claimIn the 'MISSING CHILD' case, group beliefs function as occurrent beliefs because the instantiation of the belief—such as a computer printout or information sent to a third party—has a causal effect without requiring further epistemic activation.
claimAvram Hiller and R. Wolfe Randall argue that even if groups are denied the status of having beliefs, the functional roles occupied by belief in persons can be fulfilled by 'belief-proxies' (occurrent and dispositional beliefs).