The Works of Agency: On Human Action, Will, and Freedom

Hugh J. McCann

Published by Cornell University Press 1998

The Works of Agency

On Human Action, Will, and Freedom

Hugh J. McCann

https://doi.org/10.7591/9781501737176

Overview
Contents

About this book

In these essays, Hugh J. McCann develops a unified perspective on human action. Written over a period of twenty-five years, the essays provide a comprehensive survey of the major topics in contemporary action theory.

In four sections, the book addresses the ontology of action; the foundations of action; intention, will, and freedom; and practical rationality. McCann works out a compromise between competing perspectives on the individuation of action; explores the foundations of action and defends a volitional theory; argues for a libertarian view of both the formation and the execution of intention; and considers the question of consistency in rational intentions, as well as the relationship between practical and theoretical reasoning.

Among the original features of McCann's work are his defense of both fine- and coarse-grained actions and his arguments for a noncausal theory of the relation between intention and action. He also suggests that intentions need not be consistent, either with each other or with beliefs about success. And he contends that intention formation is an intrinsically ratiocinative procedure, distinct from reasoning about what action would be best.

Author / Editor information

Hugh J. McCann is Professor of Philosophy at Texas A & M University.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Preface Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
I. THE ONTOLOGY OF ACTION Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	15
II. THE FOUNDATIONS OF ACTION Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	59
III. INTENTION, WILL, AND FREEDOM Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	125
IV. PRACTICAL RATIONALITY Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	193
INDEX Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	235

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Audience: General/trade;
Pages
- Main content: 256
Keywords: Philosophy

eBook

Published: May 15, 2019
ISBN: 9781501737176