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Pathological and non-pathological factors in delusional misbelief

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 January 2010

Robyn Langdon
Affiliation:
Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia. rlangdon@maccs.mq.edu.auhttp://www.maccs.mq.edu.au/members/profile.html?memberID=60

Abstract

In their pursuit of adaptively biased misbelief-making systems, McKay & Dennett (M&D) describe a putative doxastic shear-pin system which enables misbeliefs to form in situations of extreme psychological stress. Rather than discussing their argument, I consider how this shear-pin system might combine with both pathological belief-making (“culpable” breakdowns caused by neuropathy) and normal belief-making to explain a spectrum of delusions.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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References

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