Imperfect Cognitions

Two heads, one green and one yellow, and an orange background.

For research updates, new books, interviews with experts, spotlights on projects, and conference reports, follow @imperfectcognitions.com. A blog at the intersection of #philosophy, #psychology, and #mentalhealth: a new post every week, rain or shine. #philosophyforeveryone #philsky

Transformative Transdisciplinarity

What is transdisciplinary philosophy? This week, David Ludwig and Charbel N. El-Hani introduce their new open access book with Oxford University Press. In it they explore the development and facilitation of community-based philosophy.

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imperfectcognitions....

Kamyab Ghorbanpour

This weeks post is by Kamyab Ghorbanpour, Michał Klincewicz, Paris Mavromoustakos Blom and Pieter Spronck introducing their recently published paper: "The Blind Gamer: Examining Ethical Agency Through Choice Blindness in Game Design"

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imperfectcognitions....

Richard Hassall is one of my philosophical opponents but whom I am on good terms with. Always worth paying attention to what they say:

I briefly discuss some related issues about the difficulties of obtaining empirical evidence right at the end of the book. There I was happy enough with the line that careful use of fictional and detailed nonfictional examples is enough (on the former, agreeing with @alex-fisher.bsky.social)

"core claims concern, for ex., [...] the nature of the identity prejudices that clinicians are said to harbor toward the patients they treat. We could not identify any empirical study examining or supporting these claims."

hope the xphi paper @ivarr.bsky.social and I have under review can help.🤞

This project was an absolute dream come true, as was meeting the wonderful Sir Stephen Fry who narrated the shows.

We had wonderful support from the #philosophy community in this journey to bring critical thinking and #oracy to children no matter what their background.

#philosophyforall

Epistemic Injustice and the Language of Modern Dating A blog about imperfect cognitions, such as delusional beliefs, distorted memories, confabulatory explanations, and implicit biases.

On #WorldPhilosophyDay2025 read our most popular blog posts in the last year: Lina Lissia on epistemic injustice and the language of modern dating imperfectcognitions.... #philsky

Fantastic Philosophy A blog about imperfect cognitions, such as delusional beliefs, distorted memories, confabulatory explanations, and implicit biases.

On #WorldPhilosophyDay2025, read our most popular blog posts in the last year: Sally Latham introduces Fantastic Philosophy imperfectcognitions.... #philsky #edusky

Rethinking Bullshit Receptivity A blog about imperfect cognitions, such as delusional beliefs, distorted memories, confabulatory explanations, and implicit biases.

On #WorldPhilosophyDay2025, read our most popular blog posts in the last year: Jonathan Wilson invites us to rethink about bullshit receptivity imperfectcognitions.... #philsky

Bronwyn Finnigan

What are the mechanisms through which mindfulness impacts mental health?
Browyn Finnigan, Australian National University, presents her paper, 'Self-related processing removal or revision? The Buddhist theory of no-self and the mechanisms of mindfulness'.

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imperfectcognitions....

Kasper Møller Nielsen, Julie Nordgaard, and Mads Gram Henriksen

This week, Kasper Møller Nielsen, Julie Nordgaard, and Mads Gram Henriksen present their recent publication on a critical perspective of epistemic injustice in healthcare, addressing underlying scientific, conceptual, and theoretical issues.

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imperfectcognitions....

Steven Gubka

This week, we welcome Steven Gubka, to share his recent paper: "How Anger Helps Us Possess Reasons for Action" (The Philosophical Quarterly). In it, he argues that anger helps us appropriately respond to injustice and is a tool for addressing wrongdoing.

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imperfectcognitions....

Richard Hassall

This week, Richard Hassall presents his upcoming paper in Journal of Medicine and Philosophy: 'The Institutional Status of Medical and Psychiatric Diagnoses'. In which he explores the power of the speech act of diagnosis, going beyond a statement of fact.

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imperfectcognitions....

Conceptualizing Personality Disorder Cover

This week, we welcome Konrad Banicki and Peter Zachar to present their recently published book 'Conceptualizing Personality Disorder'. Working towards a greater understanding of a contentious and underdeveloped area in philosophy of psychiatry.

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imperfectcognitions....

Ruby Hake

This week, Ruby Hake shares 'Autism and Gender', a forthcoming chapter for Contemporary Philosophy of Autism. Offering an in-depth discussion of essentialism and arguing that critical phenomenology is well placed to prevent this issue going forward.

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imperfectcognitions....

Jodie Russell

How can the ambiguity arising from discontinuity of our self and our illness lead to misunderstanding and alienation? Today's post is by Jodie Russell (University of Birmingham) on her recent paper “Prescriptive ‘selves’ and self-illness ambiguity”.

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imperfectcognitions....

Alejandro Vázquez del Mercado

This week, we welcome Alejandro Vázquez del Mercado, Professor of Philosophy at UNAM, to present a piece on Bereavement and Epistemic Functionality. Introducing the particular epistemic disruptions that may occur in the process of bereavement.

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imperfectcognitions....

The Viciousness of Psychological Resilience A blog about imperfect cognitions, such as delusional beliefs, distorted memories, confabulatory explanations, and implicit biases.

New blog post on Imperfect Cognitions! Adam Blehm explores the downsides of psychological resilience: imperfectcognitions.blogspot.com/2025/09/the-... #philsky #philosophyforeveryone

Christophe Gauld

This week, we welcome Christophe Gauld et al. presenting a recent paper on 'Conceptual Competences in Philosophy of Psychiatry' examining survey data of self-reported conceptual competencies within French psychiatric students and practitioners.

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imperfectcognitions....

Here's @lisabortolotti.com 's summary of the exciting workshop conspiracy theory and story telling that took place at the University of Birmingham in June, including my talk on conspiratorial beliefs and conspiracy fantasies.

😇 extremely grateful to have this summary of what was a really lovely day ☀️

What People Think Self-Deception Is and Why Philosophers Should Care

A summary of our x-phi paper (w/ @ivarr.bsky.social ) in the terrific Imperfect Cognitions blog. 🙌

Max Gab

This week on imperfect cognitions, Katja Crone and Max Gab (TU Dortmund) present a special issue of Philosophical Psychology “Minimal Forms of Shared Intentionality,” which they recently guest-edited. Featuring a diverse selection of contributions.

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imperfectcognitions....

Carme and Ivar

This week, we are happy to have Carme Isern-Mas and Ivar R. Hannikainen presenting their paper, "Self-Deception: A Case Study in Folk Conceptual Structure", recently published in Review of Philosophy and Psychology.

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imperfectcognitions....

Chenwei Nie

This week, Chenwei Nie (University of Warwick) introduces his new approach to the issue of "Why do rational people obstinately hold onto irrational beliefs?" This is a section from the upcoming publication 'Epistemic Dilemmas and Epistemic Normativity' (Routledge).

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imperfectcognitions....

Biomarkers and the Boundaries of Mental Disorder A blog about imperfect cognitions, such as delusional beliefs, distorted memories, confabulatory explanations, and implicit biases.

Today, we welcome Themistoklis Pantazakos, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Philosophy at the American College of Greece, to present his recent BJPsych editorial 'Biomarkers cannot define the boundary between the normal and the pathological'.

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Conspiracy Theories and Storytelling A blog about imperfect cognitions, such as delusional beliefs, distorted memories, confabulatory explanations, and implicit biases.

In June, Kathleen Murphy-Hollies hosted a workshop on conspiracy theory and story telling at the University of Birmingham, featuring five exciting academics working on the topic. Today's post presents a brief summary of each of their talks.

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The Rise of Polarization: Affects, Politics, and Philosophy A blog about imperfect cognitions, such as delusional beliefs, distorted memories, confabulatory explanations, and implicit biases.

This week, we're happy to have Manuel Almagro, from the University of Valencia, presenting his new book: The Rise of Polarization (Routledge 2025). Exploring how affective polarization in politics exploits ordinary belief-forming mechanisms.

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imperfectcognitions....

Perri Sriwannawit

Is love beyond our control? This week, we're exited to have Perri Sriwannawit presenting an aspect of her recent PhD thesis. Exploring this question through the work of Harry Frankfurt and Natasha McKeever. What agency do we have in the face of love?

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imperfectcognitions....