Abstract
In this paper I introduce some of the key elements of Daniel Dennett’s theory of intentional attribution and their relation with his notion of rationality. While doing so I will show that Dennett’s approach implies a circularity in the process of attribution of rationality, and that his resource to evolutionary arguments for trying to avoid an infinite regress does not help him to avoid the problem. My presentation will include a revision of Dennett’s arguments for epistemic intentional ascription and rationality attribution as well as some criticisms developed against his proposal. At the end of the article I will extend the criticisms and present my view about his proposal for ideal rationality attribution.
Highlights
In this paper I introduce some of the key elements of Daniel Dennett’s theory of intentional attribution and their relation with his notion of rationality
Dennett's proposal is that, in order to make sense of the behavior of such complex systems, it will be useful to treat them as if they were rational agents whose decisions are based on beliefs and desires, in other words, as intentional agents
Intentional attribution and rationality: A critical reading 231 of dennett's intentional attribution program kinds of responses are the adequate ones to the exigencies of the environment they happen to be immersed in, and act according to such exigencies
Summary
The main problems a theory of mind should address, one can say paraphrasing Dennett, are the what and the how of Consciousness and Content (1978, pp. 351366). If there are some conducts of the entity that are not possible to be anticipated from this perspective, it would be necessary move into the design stance and to treat the subject as a physically optimal structure whose design allows it to behave in a particular way. If this is enough for obtaining a reliable prediction no more steps are needed, otherwise, one final move is required. Making explicit Dennett’s notion of rationality and its implications to the intentional attribution program are tasks I am going to deal with latter in this text
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