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Episodic memory and the witness trump card

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 January 2018

Jeremy Henry
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy and Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology Program, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130. [email protected]@wustl.eduhttps://pages.wustl.edu/cfcraver
Carl Craver
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy and Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology Program, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130. [email protected]@wustl.eduhttps://pages.wustl.edu/cfcraver

Abstract

We accept Mahr & Csibra's (M&C's) causal claim that episodic memory provides humans with the means for evaluating the veracity of reports about non-occurrent events. We reject their evolutionary argument that this is the proper function of episodic memory. We explore three intriguing implications of the causal claim, for cognitive neuropsychology, comparative psychology, and philosophy.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

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