Alief (belief)
Encyclopedia
In philosophy
and psychology
, an alief is an automatic or habitual belief
-like attitude, particularly one that is in tension with a person’s explicit beliefs.
So, for example, a person standing on a transparent balcony may believe that she is safe, but alieve that she is in danger
. A person watching a sad movie may believe that the characters are completely fiction
al, but his aliefs may lead him to cry nonetheless. A person who is hesitant to eat fudge that has been formed into the shape of feces
, or who exhibits reluctance in drinking from a sterilized bedpan
may believe that the substances are safe to eat and drink, but may alieve that they are not. And a person who believes in racial equality may nonetheless have aliefs that cause her to treat people
of different racial groups in subtly different ways.
The term alief was introduced by Tamar Gendler
, a Professor of Philosophy and Cognitive Science at Yale University
, in a pair of influential articles published in 2008. Since the publication of these original articles, the notion of alief has been utilized by Gendler
and others—including Paul Bloom and Daniel Dennett
—to explain a range of psychological phenomena in addition to those listed above, including the pleasure of stories
, the persistence of positive illusions, certain religious belief
s, and certain psychiatric
disturbances, such as phobia
s and obsessive–compulsive disorder.
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, an alief is an automatic or habitual belief
Belief
Belief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true.-Belief, knowledge and epistemology:The terms belief and knowledge are used differently in philosophy....
-like attitude, particularly one that is in tension with a person’s explicit beliefs.
So, for example, a person standing on a transparent balcony may believe that she is safe, but alieve that she is in danger
Acrophobia
Acrophobia is an extreme or irrational fear of heights. It belongs to a category of specific phobias, called space and motion discomfort that share both similar etiology and options for treatment.Most people experience a degree of natural fear when exposed to heights, especially if there is little...
. A person watching a sad movie may believe that the characters are completely fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al, but his aliefs may lead him to cry nonetheless. A person who is hesitant to eat fudge that has been formed into the shape of feces
Feces
Feces, faeces, or fæces is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the anus or cloaca during defecation.-Etymology:...
, or who exhibits reluctance in drinking from a sterilized bedpan
Bedpan
A bedpan or bed pan is an object used for the toileting of a bedridden patient in a health care facility, usually made of a metal, glass, or plastic receptacle. A bed pan can be used for both urinary and fecal discharge. Many diseases can confine a patient to bed, necessitating the use of bedpans,...
may believe that the substances are safe to eat and drink, but may alieve that they are not. And a person who believes in racial equality may nonetheless have aliefs that cause her to treat people
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
of different racial groups in subtly different ways.
The term alief was introduced by Tamar Gendler
Tamar Gendler
Tamar Szabó Gendler is a Professor of Philosophy and Cognitive Science at Yale University, and Chair of the Yale University Department of Philosophy. Her primary interests include metaphysics, epistemology and philosophical psychology....
, a Professor of Philosophy and Cognitive Science at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, in a pair of influential articles published in 2008. Since the publication of these original articles, the notion of alief has been utilized by Gendler
Tamar Gendler
Tamar Szabó Gendler is a Professor of Philosophy and Cognitive Science at Yale University, and Chair of the Yale University Department of Philosophy. Her primary interests include metaphysics, epistemology and philosophical psychology....
and others—including Paul Bloom and Daniel Dennett
Daniel Dennett
Daniel Clement Dennett is an American philosopher, writer and cognitive scientist whose research centers on the philosophy of mind, philosophy of science and philosophy of biology, particularly as those fields relate to evolutionary biology and cognitive science. He is currently the Co-director of...
—to explain a range of psychological phenomena in addition to those listed above, including the pleasure of stories
Stories
Stories may refer to:* Height of more than one Storey * Stories , a greatest hits compilation album by Randy Stonehill...
, the persistence of positive illusions, certain religious belief
Religious belief
Religious belief is a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny. Such a state may relate to the existence, characteristics and worship of a deity or deities, divine intervention in the universe and human life, or values and practices centered on the teachings of a...
s, and certain psychiatric
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
disturbances, such as phobia
Phobia
A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder, usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational...
s and obsessive–compulsive disorder.
External links
- Tamar Szabó Gendler’s personal homepage
- Bloggingheads.tv: Paul Bloom & Tamar Szabo Gendler, Percontations: Beliefs, Aliefs, and Daydreams (May 31, 2009)
Sources
- Excerpt from Paul Bloom’s How Pleasure Works: The New Science of Why We Like What We Like. New York: W. W. Norton & Co.
- Ryan T. McKay & Daniel Dennett, "The Evolution of Misbelief" Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2009), 32:493-510 Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/S0140525X09990975)
- Tamar Szabó Gendler (2008). Alief and Belief. Journal of Philosophy 105 (10):634-663.