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Single Idea 135

[filed under theme 20. Action / B. Preliminaries of Action / 1. Intention to Act / b. Types of intention ]

Full Idea

All activity aims at the good.

Gist of Idea

All activity aims at the good

Source

Plato (Gorgias [c.387 BCE], 499e)

Book Ref

Plato: 'Gorgias', ed/tr. Waterfield,Robin [OUP World's Classics 1994], p.93

A Reaction

He includes non-conscious activity, so this is the 'teleological' view of nature, which seems a bit optimistic to the modern mind.

The 5 ideas with the same theme [possible different types of intention]:

135 All activity aims at the good [Plato]
20074 We can keep Davidson's account of intentions in action, by further explaining prior intentions [Davidson, by Stout,R]
20026 Intention is either the aim of an action, or a long-term constraint on what we can do [Bratman, by Wilson/Schpall]
20036 Intentional agency is seen in internal precursors of action, and in external reasons for the act [Stout,R]
20066 Speech needs sustained intentions, but not prior intentions [Stout,R]