Description

Book Synopsis

The Philosophy of Action: An Anthology is an authoritative collection of key work by top scholars, arranged thematically and accompanied by expert introductions written by the editors. This unique collection brings together a selection of the most influential essays from the 1960s to the present day.

  • An invaluable collection that brings together a selection of the most important classic and contemporary articles in philosophy of action, from the 1960's to the present day
  • No other broad-ranging and detailed coverage of this kind currently exists in the field
  • Each themed section opens with a synoptic introduction and includes a comprehensive further reading list to guide students
  • Includes sections on action and agency, willing and trying, intention and intentional action, acting for a reason, the explanation of action, and free agency and responsibility
  • Written and organised in a style that allows it to be used as a primary teach

    Table of Contents

    Preface x

    Source Acknowledgments xi

    1 Philosophical Investigations §§611–628 1
    Ludwig Wittgenstein

    Part I Action and Agency 3

    Introduction to Part I 5

    2 Agency 10
    Donald Davidson

    3 Shooting, Killing and Dying 21
    Jonathan Bennett

    4 The Problem of Action 26
    Harry G. Frankfurt

    5 Agents and their Actions 33
    Maria Alvarez and John Hyman

    6 Agency and Actions 48
    Jennifer Hornsby

    Part II Willing and Trying 63

    Introduction to Part II 65

    7 Acting, Willing, Desiring 69
    H. A. Prichard

    8 The Will 76
    Gilbert Ryle

    9 Acting and Trying to Act 83
    Jennifer Hornsby

    10 Action and Volition 91
    E. J. Lowe

    Part III Intention and Intentional Action 101

    Introduction to Part III 103

    11 Intention §§1–9 107
    G. E. M. Anscombe

    12 Knowing What I Am Doing 113
    Keith S. Donnellan

    13 Intending 119
    Donald Davidson

    14 Two Faces of Intention 130
    Michael Bratman

    15 Acting As One Intends 145
    John McDowell

    16 Intentional Action and Side Effects in Ordinary Language 158
    Joshua Knobe

    17 The Toxin Puzzle 161
    Gregory S. Kavka

    18 The Ontology of Social Agency 164
    Frederick Stoutland

    Part IV Acting for a Reason 177

    Introduction to Part IV 179

    19 Actions, Reasons, and Causes 183
    Donald Davidson

    20 How to Act for a Good Reason 193
    Jonathan Dancy

    21 Acting for a Reason 206
    Christine Korsgaard

    22 Arational Actions 222
    Rosalind Hursthouse

    23 Agency, Reason, and the Good 230
    Joseph Raz

    24 Skepticism About Weakness of Will 245
    Gary Watson

    Part V The Explanation of Action 257

    Introduction to Part V 259

    25 Explanation in Science and in History §§1–3 263
    Carl G. Hempel

    26 The Rationale of Actions 270
    William Dray

    27 Explanation in Science and in History §§4–7 280
    Carl G. Hempel

    28 The Explanatory Role of Being Rational 289
    Michael Smith

    29 The Conceivability of Mechanism 303
    Norman Malcolm

    30 Action, Causality, and Teleological Explanation 315
    Arthur W. Collins

    31 Psychological vs. Biological Explanations of Behavior 333
    Fred Dretske

    Part VI Free Agency and Responsibility 341

    Introduction to Part VI 343

    32 Human Freedom and the Self 347
    Roderick Chisholm

    33 Alternate Possibilities and Moral Responsibility 353
    Harry G. Frankfurt

    34 Responsibility, Control, and Omissions 360
    John Martin Fischer

    35 The Impossibility of Ultimate Responsibility? 373
    Galen Strawson

    36 Moral Responsibility and the Concept of Agency 382
    Helen Steward

    37 Free Will and Science 393
    Alfred R. Mele

Philosophy of Action

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    A Paperback / softback by Jonathan Dancy, Constantine Sandis

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      Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd
      Publication Date: Publication Date: 06/02/2015
      ISBN13: 9781118604519, 978-1118604519
      ISBN10: 1118604512
      Also in:
      Philosophy

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      The Philosophy of Action: An Anthology is an authoritative collection of key work by top scholars, arranged thematically and accompanied by expert introductions written by the editors. This unique collection brings together a selection of the most influential essays from the 1960s to the present day.

      • An invaluable collection that brings together a selection of the most important classic and contemporary articles in philosophy of action, from the 1960's to the present day
      • No other broad-ranging and detailed coverage of this kind currently exists in the field
      • Each themed section opens with a synoptic introduction and includes a comprehensive further reading list to guide students
      • Includes sections on action and agency, willing and trying, intention and intentional action, acting for a reason, the explanation of action, and free agency and responsibility
      • Written and organised in a style that allows it to be used as a primary teach

        Table of Contents

        Preface x

        Source Acknowledgments xi

        1 Philosophical Investigations §§611–628 1
        Ludwig Wittgenstein

        Part I Action and Agency 3

        Introduction to Part I 5

        2 Agency 10
        Donald Davidson

        3 Shooting, Killing and Dying 21
        Jonathan Bennett

        4 The Problem of Action 26
        Harry G. Frankfurt

        5 Agents and their Actions 33
        Maria Alvarez and John Hyman

        6 Agency and Actions 48
        Jennifer Hornsby

        Part II Willing and Trying 63

        Introduction to Part II 65

        7 Acting, Willing, Desiring 69
        H. A. Prichard

        8 The Will 76
        Gilbert Ryle

        9 Acting and Trying to Act 83
        Jennifer Hornsby

        10 Action and Volition 91
        E. J. Lowe

        Part III Intention and Intentional Action 101

        Introduction to Part III 103

        11 Intention §§1–9 107
        G. E. M. Anscombe

        12 Knowing What I Am Doing 113
        Keith S. Donnellan

        13 Intending 119
        Donald Davidson

        14 Two Faces of Intention 130
        Michael Bratman

        15 Acting As One Intends 145
        John McDowell

        16 Intentional Action and Side Effects in Ordinary Language 158
        Joshua Knobe

        17 The Toxin Puzzle 161
        Gregory S. Kavka

        18 The Ontology of Social Agency 164
        Frederick Stoutland

        Part IV Acting for a Reason 177

        Introduction to Part IV 179

        19 Actions, Reasons, and Causes 183
        Donald Davidson

        20 How to Act for a Good Reason 193
        Jonathan Dancy

        21 Acting for a Reason 206
        Christine Korsgaard

        22 Arational Actions 222
        Rosalind Hursthouse

        23 Agency, Reason, and the Good 230
        Joseph Raz

        24 Skepticism About Weakness of Will 245
        Gary Watson

        Part V The Explanation of Action 257

        Introduction to Part V 259

        25 Explanation in Science and in History §§1–3 263
        Carl G. Hempel

        26 The Rationale of Actions 270
        William Dray

        27 Explanation in Science and in History §§4–7 280
        Carl G. Hempel

        28 The Explanatory Role of Being Rational 289
        Michael Smith

        29 The Conceivability of Mechanism 303
        Norman Malcolm

        30 Action, Causality, and Teleological Explanation 315
        Arthur W. Collins

        31 Psychological vs. Biological Explanations of Behavior 333
        Fred Dretske

        Part VI Free Agency and Responsibility 341

        Introduction to Part VI 343

        32 Human Freedom and the Self 347
        Roderick Chisholm

        33 Alternate Possibilities and Moral Responsibility 353
        Harry G. Frankfurt

        34 Responsibility, Control, and Omissions 360
        John Martin Fischer

        35 The Impossibility of Ultimate Responsibility? 373
        Galen Strawson

        36 Moral Responsibility and the Concept of Agency 382
        Helen Steward

        37 Free Will and Science 393
        Alfred R. Mele

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