Topics Philosophy

Question Can you give me a short answer to what is meant by "philosophy of action"?

Accepted:
June 17, 2010

Comments

Philosophy of action concerns the analysis of agency and take up such questions as: What is it to be an agent? Is agency best explained in terms of beliefs and desires? In addition to beliefs and desires, must agency also involve a unique, additional power, such as the power to act or the power to form and act on intentions? How should acts be distinguished? Arguably, you can be doing more than one thing in making a single move (greet someone as well as signal an espionage agent that you are ready to return to the submarine). Should we count how many actions you are doing right now (reading, passing time, thinking about your own views on this topic) based on what you deliberately will? When is an agent free? Are free actions explainable scientifically? When are you responsible for your actions? And then there are more peripheral, but interesting questions: Do corporations act? Do you act in dreams and, if so, are you responsible for what you do in dreams?

Question Can you give me a short answer to what is meant by "philosophy of action"? Accepted:June 17, 2010

Question Can you give me a short answer to what is meant by "philosophy of action"?

Accepted:
June 17, 2010