representational theory of the mind

The representational theory of the mind suggests that our thoughts, perceptions, and beliefs are based on mental representations—internal symbols or images that stand for the external world. For example, when you think of a cat, your mind creates a symbolic representation of a cat, even if there's no cat present. These mental representations enable us to understand, reason, and communicate about things beyond our immediate experience, serving as a bridge between our internal consciousness and the outside environment. This theory helps explain how we process information and make decisions based on internal models of the world.