title: Reconceiving delusion.
abstract: Delusions are critical components in a number of mental disorders, schizophrenia foremost. What are they? The standard view is that they are a type of belief--a pathological belief. Unfortunately, the standard view does not consistently correspond to clinical practice, where the term 'delusion' often applies to non-beliefs. We review the case for saying that non-beliefs can count as delusions. We argue that delusions are complexes of higher and lower order attitudes. They constitute a distinctive type of failure of self-knowledge and self-management. We describe the relevant type. One of the conceptual implications of our view is that beliefs need not be central to delusions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Philosophy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: G Lynn
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Graham
mesh_terms: D003469:Culture; D003702:Delusions; D006801:Humans; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D012649:Self Concept