In this chapter collective acceptance as a group is analyzed. The result is used to give an account of group actions and beliefs as well as of group attitudes more generally. This central “positional” view is based on group authority in the sense of some authorized members (“operative” members) forming attitudes and/or acting for the group as well as possibly giving orders to group members. Also the central notion of having an attitude as a group member—assumed to be based on a group reason—is clarified. The appendix this chapter discusses social groups, I-mode and we-mode groups, mainly from an ontological point of view, and contrasts an entity view with a nonentity view.
Keywords: authority,, bootstrapping,, collective acceptance,, group action,, group attitude,, group belief,, group ontology,, operative/nonoperative member