Overview

When we talk about delusions we may refer to symptoms of mental health problems, such as clinical delusions in schizophrenia, or simply the beliefs that people cling to which are implausible and resistant to counterevidence; these can include anything from beliefs about the benefits of homeopathy to concerns about the threat of alien abduction. Why do people adopt delusional beliefs and why are they so reluctant to part with them? In Why Delusions Matter, Lisa Bortolotti explains what delusions really are and argues that, despite their negative reputation, they can also play a positive role in people's lives, imposing some meaning on adverse experiences and strengthening personal or social identities. In a clear and accessible style, Bortolotti contributes to the growing research on the philosophy of the cognitive sciences, offering a novel and nuanced view of delusions.

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9781350163294

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Why Delusions Matter is an incredible contribution to the philosophy of delusions by the foremost scholar in the field. Bortolotti stresses the continuity of beliefs in clinical and non-clinical contexts, and how we and society should seek to understand the meaning behind delusions and to open up a space of meaning when beliefs are shared. * Matthew Broome, Director of the Institute for Mental Health and Chair in Psychiatry and Youth Mental Health, University of Birmingham, UK * Lisa Bortolotti’s masterful book, Why Delusions Matter, not only provides a concise, current synthesis of the vast philosophical literature on delusions, but also sets out a compelling argument for her signature view that delusions can be purposeful, not pathological. * Justin Garson, Professor of Philosophy, Hunter College and The Graduate Center, USA *

Why Delusions Matter is an incredible contribution to the philosophy of delusions by the foremost scholar in the field. Bortolotti stresses the continuity of beliefs in clinical and non-clinical contexts, and how we and society should seek to understand the meaning behind delusions and to open up a space of meaning when beliefs are shared. * Matthew Broome, Director of the Institute for Mental Health and Chair in Psychiatry and Youth Mental Health, University of Birmingham, UK * Lisa Bortolotti's masterful book, Why Delusions Matter, not only provides a concise, current synthesis of the vast philosophical literature on delusions, but also sets out a compelling argument for her signature view that delusions can be purposeful, not pathological. * Justin Garson, Professor of Philosophy, Hunter College and The Graduate Center, USA *

Author Information

Lisa Bortolotti is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Birmingham (UK). She works in the philosophy of psychology and psychiatry. She is the author of Delusions and Other Irrational Beliefs (2009), which was awarded the American Philosophical Association Biannual Book Prize, Irrationality (2014) and The Epistemic Innocence of Irrational Beliefs (2020).

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