The Narrative Practice Hypothesis and Externalist Theory Theory: For Compatibility, Against Collapse

Abstract

The Narrative Practice Hypothesis and Externalist Theory Theory: For Compatibility, Against Collapse Abstract: What defence does the Narrative Practice Hypothesis (NPH) have against the charge that it is a covert form of externalist theory theory (TT)? I discuss and reject Dan Hutto’s own strategies and argue that the NPH remains vulnerable to a threat of collapse into externalist TT as long as narrative folk-psychological explanation is differentiated from simple belief-desire explanation merely by a degree of complexity, subtlety and/or context-sensitivity. It is entirely plausible, however, that there is a more principled distinction between these two types of explanation of human behaviour. I defend such a distinction and show how it eliminates the threat of collapse into TT entirely. Correspondence: Prof. dr. M.V.P. Slors, Faculty of Philosophy, Radboud University Nijmegen, Erasmusplein 1, P.O. Box 9103, 6500 HD Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Email: marc.slors@phil.ru.nl