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As if we had minds: the prospects of mental fictionalism

Tamás Demeter, Adam Toon

Philosophical Psychology July 7, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/09515089.2026.2690730 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed
Keywords Nagging Eliminative materialism Realism Folk psychology Mental activity Wonder Epistemology Mental model Psychoanalysis
Key points Argues that a middle position between realism and eliminativism is viable for folk psychology mental states.

Abstract

1. When it comes to mental states posited by folk psychology, many of us have long had a nagging sense that neither industrial-strength realism nor eliminativism is a satisfactory option. Realists ...