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Article 4403 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: jeff@aiai.ed.ac.uk (Jeff Dalton)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Re: Definition of understanding
Message-ID: <6381@skye.ed.ac.uk>
Date: 11 Mar 92 16:26:12 GMT
References: <SMAILL.92Mar9215108@sin.aisb.ed.ac.uk> <6375@skye.ed.ac.uk> <SMAILL.92Mar11120919@lomond.aisb.ed.ac.uk>
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In article <SMAILL.92Mar11120919@lomond.aisb.ed.ac.uk> smaill@aisb.ed.ac.uk (Alan Smaill) writes:
>In article <6375@skye.ed.ac.uk> jeff@aiai.ed.ac.uk (Jeff Dalton) writes:
>
>   In article <SMAILL.92Mar9215108@sin.aisb.ed.ac.uk> smaill@aisb.ed.ac.uk (Alan Smaill) writes:
>
>   >Is it not a problem if I believe I believe X, yet my actions
>   >only make sense assuming I really believe not X?  
>
>   What does this mean?  Are you suggesting that no one could believe
>   X and yet act like they believe not-X?

BTW, I'm not sure it's ever the case that there's only one way to make
sense of actions.  If that's right, it would never be the case that
someone's actions only make sense assuming they believe not-X.

Anyway...

>No, I'm suggesting that it is possible that someone can believe
>X, and yet act like they believe not-X.  

Ok, but why is this a problem?

>                                         I am then suggesting that
>this is a problem for those who think that they cannot be mistaken
>about their own beliefs.

What is the connection?  If someone believes X and acts like they
believe not-X, this does nothing whatsoever to show they are mistaken
in thinking they believe X (if that's indeed what they think).

-- jd


