Self‐Knowledge: Expression without Expressivism

Abstract

Few would say that we are infallible with respect to our own states of mind. Still, our ordinary ways of thinking represent people as having an especially intimate relationship to their own attitudes, sensations, emotions, and so on. This special intimacy is suggested inter alia by the default assumption that when sincerely made, present-tense mental state self-ascriptions – statements like “My feet are aching”, “I want to leave the party”, “I think Justin is bored” – will be true. Following familiar usage, I will call such statements ‘self-ascriptions’, and will label this feature of them their ‘first-person authority’. It is natural to understand first-person authority as bound up with the fact that we are in an especially good position to know about our own states of mind, with the idea being that sincere self-ascriptions express this knowledge. Call this the ‘epistemic approach’ to understanding first-person authority. But there is also of the about self-ascriptions think that to feature of I will call their ‘epistemic with of to be of in that is to the the about own state of mind. is to mental to such of first-person in of the idea that self-ascriptions are is to express the state to the that is in this are to with of and also that so understanding self-ascriptions as But are to think that so to first-person and also to such an is by the to first-person authority with their I that we the of This of the like I so by self-ascriptions as by the of and is as of I the to understanding first-person authority and to their I the to self-ascriptions with of mental states to Justin the position I say But Justin in about – are feet about our own states of in we to this of Justin think by when in fact by to think feet our default assumption is that and sincere and mental state will so It is the about own state of special is want to know about states of mind, is the to are of first-person authority. thinking of as an authority with thinking of them as about we of is the the the of an is of and so we want to understand is good to the about the about and about to by the of to be true. the the and know about their sincere self-ascriptions are as being the statements of and is natural to understand this first-person authority as the fact that we are in special position with respect to our own is especially to own states of mind, is especially about This natural the to understanding and to the relationship to own mental states But self-ascriptions to with the self-ascriptions are of It is this that the we of first-person authority. is to when we this know are we are about by to that ordinary about of fact are to of But of of in to ordinary I say that is I know this – and I “I in But I in ways I know that I I say that I this is so I is to of to the of I that I like I I in know that feet is as of think feet – to when in to is to as of of as own the of this about thinking that Justin is is thinking that that Justin is is to of is to as to be with the in this with like in the that the is be the that know also It express an in understanding the of the to the that self-ascriptions are in this with of is to that in to their as the of this be to But this to the is to “I want to leave the to the is we the that the that the is is being to say is this is by Still, is to the that the is such we that this is to statements about the of having idea so as of an ordinary is like the there is about to to leave the being to the the would be an to to such to the of that is the being to by But in the of is of so as to the the ordinary of such to “I want to leave the that the this is to that that the self-ascriptions and of is is to the to understanding first-person authority self-ascriptions are first-person express of be to the But we the so the of first-person authority. to this is the idea that self-ascriptions are special of to being in the to express to the that is in to express the state this special of an “My feet I their “My feet “I want to leave the party”, as would be and feet to leave the party”, as would be of the is to express state of mind. of the is to express state of mind, state of to express to leave the this is express are that self-ascriptions are first-person special relationship to own mental states is that of being to express and is of This is is the to about is in state express in an It is are of mental states that there is the in as there is in mental states to and of being sincere and in mental state be the of of such as and when in to be in state in to express – to express by is an of “My we to to of to know about this is there are to about self-ascriptions that the to be we the that first-person authority is to be in of But this is with that will of the state and that this is in I of by their to and I that of is of will the to understanding I in and and I call the of I want to and I call is to the and is by we is to that we about our own states of the is that this is in an that we are about our own states of mind, that to about our own is so that as as being about own would be their of also the the that mental state as that is in But also that this is in an ordinary the like “I want to leave the “My feet are with “I to I call that like “My feet “I want to leave the express of like the to understanding first-person the in of and But also that we know about our own states of mind, and that this is in our self-ascriptions – as in to the of the the self-ascriptions are first-person and first-person are I with about the that be and to say that that feet are that so to that feet are the the the But and of are to the of of the to the the But I I think that is and the that I think that is I by the that our to the states we are we are the as is are we to people know when I in the with the with I know It be of as that I know I in is to that I in people be to of I be to of I to say about people that I in to say about are to the of to the ordinary in would also to like and But to think of as having as that are in mental to say that that in mental state the to say that that in mental we in the the of that to say that that are in mental that are in Still, this there of are to and be to relationship to about own mind. This in to about own and sensations, states as especially to being of first-person knowledge. I to about is in mental It is familiar to in when in fact up the also to that is in state – in this I to that I having of in the of up in this is an of of of as to be that in mental being is an and that I that there are in as an and to be like this – to as the is is that are like as to be This of as in of special to in state so to I about feet and to being in so and I feet and to we of that we know – and of about our own states of mind. we that we and about our own states of and so on. we that to that of to our to about our own mental that such so I want to that there are the ways in such as being our to about our own mental by with the ways in our to about the mental states of But this would the that is in of about and about I think that this is and of the I in is to and But the of that self-ascriptions of knowledge. But also of is the when we is like of to by I the in to that I want to leave the this thinking that I want to that the will be an of with of is that of first-person authority their But the of “I want to leave the as that I want to leave the in to to the of be to to of with will is to that the in is fact that that I want to leave the with of the is with that in of in of But that the to of first-person authority. so – – to with of But the in is the in in being an of and there is of first-person authority to the of of first-person authority of the of and is the of is I in an to understanding first-person authority to with of It is this that the of by the to But of to that self-ascriptions express of is so I think we and that self-ascriptions express in so of the in is to the the of their first-person authority. the of is that we of first-person authority in to their I want to an of and is the of that the of the This to the is of the But we are to that is I think that the to be I in the of the to the self-ascriptions are first-person are to express of own mind. But the is to to to the self-ascriptions and of as as we are to about the of in and in I think that is natural also to first-person authority in assumption that we to is that that is of having that This be in to as is and is to the of as is But is this is we to be and understanding of the of and This is the of the of is so of the idea that being in mental state is in that is in inter the of thinking that is in will say about this idea in as we understanding – that is in state of – when about own state in of being in This first-person authority and their as idea first-person authority in the of the – I – to It to say that sincere self-ascriptions are by default to be and that the to about state of is being in state is in that is in so that statements about own states of are by default to be is idea are such that their is – in – to know that about that of thinking that of about when that to that Justin is that the will be understanding their as will understanding is by in be to – But this is the with to express the the of the I will the of self-ascriptions of of the such there is an of first-person authority and the and first-person authority are in – in of the of But is that being in state of in be that is in by this will we be to understand is that know about own states of when are about of by this will we be to understand first-person authority and in the It is in this that I think we to the of mental state and the to of I think that we understand the of in of our to express our states of mind. I will the of and I will call is having of in to I this in of and this in the of the the idea that is in in are to we that – in I will leave this I know that is the of the that the will be good thinking we is of of are this we to I will call to understanding with the familiar of the of as understand in of the by of as to of the idea that that is being to be by the fact that to the fact that as that that is being in position to in to the fact that and that that is to and of knowledge. idea would be having the in to that the will be having to think that having in to that feet are that to leave the and be in I will an of this in to in and I the of the I will be It would to the of the of the and to this I be the the them and would be is to of the is and in and will to I will this by with and leave I will that as being to to the fact that that is is being to to the fact that is – I in of by that is the that to to the and by It will be in to label this of the I will call the of knowledge. about the are in when I about to the of is that with as to that with in the to the fact that is by I say the of in this as to the fact that is in the to the of – in as I to the fact that is is in the of be to in this to the fact I there is in I to be to to the fact that is in to know that is ways are will inter alia I and and I know that the to the think that are I to to the fact that is by the are But this that is are to to the fact in be to to the fact that is by of the is I of such so to the fact in the ways in to – of ways in we to is up by our we about this in is to the being to to fact and to This is an of the having and of to that of be of of this that I that is the when I that as of being to to as to to fact in knowledge. to to the that is in mental state is of being to to the fact that is in as that is is of being to to the fact that is that feet is of being to to the fact that feet – I so by to them that I want to leave the is of being to to the fact that I want to leave the – I so by I to by I that is being in state of is in that is in the of the of this to the that being in state of is in being to to the fact that is in this I will of by this This an of and I in are to of being in state of is in being to to the fact that is in is that there is an being mental and the to be in the and of the state is that in with of and state of the of to the fact that is in the is that in this of in the of that is in the of about the the of the of an of being in state of is in having that is in an and It is to be about the of this I that mental state will in fact be in in of the that in state will be to think in is that mental state is in in the idea is the that being in mental state is being to in is that states of be in of the and But of to the relationship I think there is and is It is to being mental that is in I mental state is of the states express in in of as the of an thinking of as in and and and But the of in ways in is of states such as the of an in that in mental state in will be of this in the the and so on. But the fact that mental state be in this that with such mental state an in an of the I express in the of – I in an of especially is in an and I in and express as an as of is to as that – in this – and this is But of in the by with in the is also – so to – is It is the that – the that I in this I that is to of is to the fact that I in is in the of and of I so and I as I of would of I in and to know as as of would in the of and so on. are in the of in to to the of that is is is in the I to is and to the of this that is an of is in an of that I in that that I in is being to to the fact that I in I is that is an of this of suggested by this is as being in state of is in that is in states of mental are in and like mental state the of to the fact that is in – this is the when the of mental state is by the of our and It is to be about this be in is that is to the fact that I in is also that to to the fact in this of in of the that I in of It is that up an – express express and that I in But the of having to the that I in that of I to be with thinking that I in – I to be – this would to to express in This that would to to this of to the fact that I in and so that would to of that I in I to and the of an is the in to when this the and of of the fact that like and be in the of mental also to the fact that is in the But of of of the by to the fact that is in state is this that of I say “My the in our are in the by to the fact that I in this respect is of But this “My is – like – an of is also to the fact that I in say this is to as an But the the idea that self-ascriptions express with the idea that are is the I is an this to the in is But to the of fact that I express in the I to be – when I this to to the fact that I in thinking that I in I this by by “My is being to and in the is of is the special in the the of state in the of an to express in of being an of the to to the fact that I in thinking that I in the be about are like of in of and are also to the fact that is in the in as express the there is them to be of I to the of ways in be of mental state of of our of is in the of the of I to the fact that I in the of the of this that in the of I also that I in that I in is of being to express in that is also to the fact that I in as I to with the will in this in to state of in of being in – as will be to them in the of this I in that to express of knowledge. the I of state of is also to being is will are the special in this the of an up the of this that we to to the to understanding first-person that the will also their with of I suggested that in to so we to is I that we of this we that being in state of is in that is in that this will to the that we understand this be the that the of is to know about I that we of by of knowledge. to I the of the of being in state of is in that is in the of being in that state is in being to to the fact that is in I to in is that in states of be in is also to the fact that is in and that the to in such an we that are as as in we our in the of our states of is by such are of the are But as are to the fact that is in the of knowledge. I and there are I would like to I to this I the – that to – in is the of the in that being in mental state is in – with of and – to to the that is in of in to know that is in are of I when to and in there are I be about of be by I be to say I the would be I I the and of the of of and so on. of to be in I in is and I to an of as the to to this be as the the and having is It would I to the of the in to about own states of mind. But the fact that there is to say the that in of familiar being in the state in is being to to the fact that is in of idea that the will be that in in of the ordinary of and and is to in to of states of mind. will such will be the in be in to the in I think this is feature of in of we know that I the to up with we to in to understand I to this I would to in having the to up and with I to the be that the is I the to this up I the to that I the to this this is to the I of the in we express our states of also express that is in in are are and to the fact that is the I that that I want to leave the that feet in an I that I in states with the to to the fact that I in with of this I think that in this respect an by to know about states of I think that we think of as to and that this is to an like This that to know in by that But – I want to say – state of the to know that is in such I know about that state of and and knowledge. This natural idea is an of of mental states in of the to express them as to an of in of the of such an are of of own states of is – we that label especially to in and by of will be of that is in the state when is to the fact that is in that state when the to to the fact that is in that is of that is in the state when is to the fact that is in that state – that when is to the fact that is in that state is by the of thinking that is in that the of is in that by that we call that is in think of as such “My feet is in this with This of to the fact that is in state – having thinking that is in the state in – is in to own states of mind. But this that the of I of also in to of own this of be such I state and so this will be such I to the fact that I in the – by about own in to the as of of about be to the of as is in of the of mental state I as in the of to the fact that is in state of mind. But is to the fact that I in an of in like the that is an of to the fact that I want to leave the an of this in like the in of such as an of when the up is an of to this and I and to that in are of in the that is an of the is of the to the fact that I in I think that in we like is to I to the fact is in and to the of to such fact when this is by to to know being of be to to the fact that But will be them in of is is to to – of to and when the we I as of is like the label I I about of in the fact that we call in the fact that in in in of being in state of mind, and I the of the of we leave the label I to the I think is the I to the fact that I I the to understanding to the I will is the is to to to is that the fact that is to to the fact that is in state is by the fact that that is in so that we that I want to leave the by to the fact that I to to this is that is so the the be that that feet that I want to leave the is to the fact that feet that I want to leave the being this is of that with the to to the to the idea that that I want to leave the is to to this so that in the in of the I the But is in I this I think this the of that I This is the of in of the to to the of in of the to to fact about own state of mind, are to be is of as being as the to to of is of the of the is the of the of this is to about in the of our to – to understand – as the to to But the fact that I in of this the in of that the is to in our in the the of in this we to understand – as I up in – being in mental state in be that is in of I to of by about the of in and this be by the in having an about own mental the idea that the of is that of the to to It that we to the to to that is this But I think of that is the to to I also think the that is I that the idea of of are to be we the of we the that is being to to we of as being to of this in the of being to to the fact is I of the to to fact is in our of so that be to think of as I think that of and are and and I But I I to of I think that there is about the of I this I as an to understanding mental state and own of and feature of of first-person authority. I that such and But I think that the is to think that understanding self-ascriptions their with of and also to think that so their as as the states the of the state is I is as as first-person authority and their are in of is is of that self-ascriptions with of in understanding self-ascriptions understanding I of the is being in state of is in that is in is in being to to the fact that is in – with the and we are in the of state – in by in an of – the of state of is also to the fact that is in to in of of our states of the of to think that is in the of about I that there is such to in I to that understanding and to mental state also that with