Single Idea 23739

[catalogued under 20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 1. Acting on Desires]

Full Idea

Only an agent's desires may constitute her having certain goals, and it follows from this that only her desires may constitute her motivating reasons.

Gist of Idea

Goals need desires, and so only desires can motivate us

Source

Michael Smith (The Moral Problem [1994], 4.8)

Book Reference

Smith,Michael: 'The Moral Problem' [Blackwell 1994], p.125


A Reaction

We might distinguish between reasons which direct us towards certain ends, and reasons which motivate us to pursue those ends. Most mornings I have a reason to get out of bed, which precedes my motivation to actually do it.