ProtoSociology

Volume 18/19, 2003

Understanding the Social II – Philosophy of Sociality

Anthonie Meijers
Pages 377-388

Why Accept Collective Beliefs?
Reply to Gilbert

Margaret Gilbert has recently argued in ProtoSociology against what she called my rejectionist’s view according to which (i) we have to make a distinction between the intentional states of believing and accepting and (ii) genuine group beliefs, i.e. group beliefs that cannot be reduced to the beliefs of the individual members of a group, should be understood in terms of the acceptance of a view rather than of beliefs proper. In this reply I discuss Gilbert’s objections.