What are our reasons for acting? Morality purports to give us these reasons, and so do norms of prudence and the laws of society. The theory of practical reason assesses the authority of these potentially competing claims, and for this reason philosophers with a wide range of interests have converged on the topic of reasons for action. This volume contains eleven essays on practical reason by leading and emerging philosophers. Topics include the differences between practical and theoretical rationality, practical conditionals and the wide-scope ought, the explanation of action, the sources of reasons, and the relationship between morality and reasons for action. The volume will be essential reading for all philosophers interested in ethics and practical reason. Introduction / David Sobel And Steven Wall -- Intention, Belief, And Instrumental Rationality / Michael E. Bratman -- Reasons : Practical And Adaptive / Joseph Raz -- The Explanatory Role Of Being Rational / Michael Smith -- Practical Competence And Fluent Agency / Peter Railton -- Practical Conditionals / James Dreier -- Authority And Second Personal Reasons For Acting / Stephen Darwall -- Promises, Reasons, And Normative Powers / Gary Watson -- Regret And Irrational Action / Justin D. Arms And Daniel Jacobson -- Mackie's Motivational Argument / Philip Clark -- The Truth In Ecumenical Expressivism / Michael Ridge -- Voluntarist Reasons And The Sources Of Normativity / Ruth Chang. Edited By David Sobel And Steven Wall. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 272-284) And Index. Cambridge University Press Reasons for Action 2 Contents 6 Notes on the contributors 8 Acknowledgments 10 1 Introduction 12 2 Intention, belief, and instrumental rationality 24 3 Reasons: practical and adaptive 48 4 The explanatory role of being rational 69 5 Practical competence and fluent agency 92 6 Practical conditionals 127 7 Authority and second-personal reasons for acting 145 8 Promises, reasons, and normative powers 166 9 Regret and irrational action 190 10 Mackie’s motivational argument 211 11 The truth in Ecumenical Expressivism 230 12 Voluntarist reasons and the sources of normativity 254 Bibliography 283 CBO9780511720185A021 296 9780521877466 'Reasons for Action' contains 11 essays on practical reason by leading and emerging philosophers. The topics include the differences between practical and theoretical rationality, practical conditionals and the wide-scope ought, the explanation of action, the sources of reasons, and much more
