
The Possibility of Practical Reason
J. David Velleman(Author)
Clarendon Press
Published on 1. November 2000
Book
Paperback/Softback
312 pages
978-0-19-823826-3 (ISBN)
Description
The "Possibility of Practical Reason" explores the foundational questions of moral psychology: How can any of our behaviour qualify as acting for a reason? How can any considerations qualify as reasons for us to act? David Velleman argues that both possibilities depend on there being a constitutive aim of action - something that makes for success in action as such, in the same way that truth makes for success in belief. Considerations qualify as reasons for acting by virtue of their relevance to the constitutive aim; and our behavior qualifies as acting for a reason when it responds to such considerations in pursuit of the aim. The eleven papers that make up this book (two of them previously unpublished) discuss such topics as the relation between value and practical reasoning, the foundations of decision theory, freedom of the will, shared intention, and the motivational role of the imagination.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Oxford University Press
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
bibliography, index
ISBN-13
978-0-19-823826-3 (9780198238263)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Content
1. INTRODUCTION; 2. EPISTEMIC FREEDOM; 3. WELL-BEING AND TIME; 4. IS MOTIVATION INTERNAL TO VALUE? 5. THE GUISE OF THE GOOD; 6. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE ACTS? 7. THE STORY OF RATIONAL ACTION; 8. THE POSSIBILITY OF PRACTICAL REASON; 9. HOW TO SHARE AN INTENTION; 10. DECIDING HOW TO DECIDE; 11. ON THE AIM OF BELIEF; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX