Institut Jean Nicod

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April 16 : Vasilis Tsompanidis (IJN)

Mardi 16 avril 2013 de 16h30 à 18h30 :

Institut Jean-Nicod, ENS, 29, rue d’Ulm 75005 paris, Salle de réunion, RDC.

Vasilis Tsompanidis (Institut Jean-Nicod)

"Accounting for ’now’-thoughts"

Abstract :
In this talk I will argue against two traditional accounts of thoughts whose expression would involve the term ‘now’. A presentist explanation based on tensed facts or properties faces problems accounting for (i) ‘now’ thoughts that are about a temporally extended present, and (ii) the time it takes for our brain to process sensory information. Hugh Mellor’s B-theoretic reply based on the tenseless properties of tensed thought tokens cannot explain the continuous updating of our ‘now’ thoughts, and why decisions based on them seem rational. I propose an alternative account based on the mental files framework, and discuss how it might be developed in order to solve these issues.


CNRS EHESS ENS ENS