Three Theories of Belief

Abstract This chapter examines three major theories of belief in the philosophy of mind: intellectualism, pragmatism, and dispositionalism. It begins with Descartes’s intellectualist approach, where belief is viewed as discursive, a product of introspection and rational judgment. The chapter then explores Jerry Fodor’s neo-intellectualism, which posits that beliefs are relations to mental sentences, according to the “language of thought” hypothesis. It continues with Alexander Bain’s pragmatist theory, which defines belief as tied to voluntary action and explains its role in guiding behavior. Finally, the chapter addresses Ludwig Wittgenstein’s dispositionalism, framing belief as a disposition to act and challenging both intellectualist and pragmatist perspectives through its focus on social practices and language games.