The Michael Caine Argument

In a 1998 interview (quoted on The Ipcress File DVD), Michael Caine makes the following observation:

What is the difference between a movie star and a movie actor? A movie star is always thinking "How can I change this role to better fit me?" whereas a movie actor is always thinking "How can I change myself to better fit this role?"

If you can stretch the notion of a direction of fit so far as to capture the difference between being a movie star and being a movie actor, how can you expect it to capture the differences between belief and desire? Clearly you can't. Therefore, direction-of-fit analyses of belief and desire must be rejected.


Disclaimer: I don't guarantee the quote is verbatim since I have only my memory to rely on. (The joke is almost funny when translated into cockney; thanks to The Dialectizer.)