[SydPhil] Friday psychology colloquium 24/4: Prof Daniel Hutto, 4pm Education 424

[Bruce Burns]

This week the University of Sydney, School of Psychology Friday 
colloquium series welcomes Daniel Hutto, Professor of Philosophical 
Psychology at the University of Wollongong, at 4pm in Education 424. He 
will be speaking on:

"Social Cognition without Mindreading: Looking High and Low"

Abstract:

This paper argues that Mind-Reading Hypotheses (MRHs), of any kind, are 
not needed to explain any kind of social cognition. It reviews the two 
most popular MRHs: One-ToM and Two-ToM theories. These MRHs face 
competition in the form of Complementary Behaviour Reading Hypotheses 
(CBRHs). Following Buckner (2014), it is argued that the best strategy 
for putting CBRHs out of play is to appeal to need-based considerations 
about the psychosemantics of basic acts of social cognition. Against 
this backdrop a new competitor for MRHs is revealed: Mind Minding 
Hypothesis (MMHs) - these too are capable of explaining the known facts 
about basic forms of social cognition and also satisfy the teleological 
criterion. Objections concerning the theoretical tenability of MMHs are 
addressed. Finally, it is argued that there are tenable non-mindreading 
ways of understanding the structure competence that enables adult humans 
to competently attribute propositional attitudes.

The colloquium program for this year can be found on the School webpage 
at http://sydney.edu.au/science/psychology/colloquium/2015s1.shtml

All are welcome,
Bruce Burns

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Bruce Burns
Senior Lecturer
School of Psychology
University of Sydney
Brennan MacCallum Bldg, A18
Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Tel: +61 2 9351-8286
website: http://www.psych.usyd.edu.au/staff/bburns/