What is it to deceive someone? And how is it possible to deceive oneself? Does self-deception require that people be taken in by a deceitful strategy that they know is deceitful? The literature is divided between those who argue that self-deception is intentional and those who argue that it is non-intentional. In this study, Annette Barnes offers a challenge to both the standard characterization of other-deception and characterizations of self-deception, examining the available explanations and exploring such questions as the self-deceiver's false consciousness, bias and the irrationality and objectionability of self-deception. She arrives at a non-intentional account of self-deception that is deeper and more complete than alternative non-intentional accounts and avoids the reduction of self-deceptive belief to wishful belief.

Annette Barnes offers a challenge to the standard characterization of other-deception and self-deception.
Reviews
"Recommended for upper-division undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and researchers." Choice
"We are grateful to Annette Barnes for courageously shedding light on a difficult and important problem." Bela Szabados, Philosophy in Review



Book Information
ISBN 9780521038775
Author Annette Barnes
Format Paperback
Page Count 196
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 265g
Dimensions(mm) 215mm * 139mm * 10mm