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Single Idea 9284
[filed under theme 20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 3. Acting on Reason / c. Reasons as causes
]
Full Idea
Someone has 'internal reasons' to act when the person has some motive which will be served or furthered by the action; if this turns out not to be so, the reason is false. Reasons are 'external' when there is no such condition.
Gist of Idea
Reasons are 'internal' if they give a person a motive to act, but 'external' otherwise
Source
Bernard Williams (Internal and External Reasons [1980], p.101)
Book Ref
Williams,Bernard: 'Moral Luck: Papers 1973-1980' [CUP 1981], p.101
A Reaction
[compressed] An external example given is a family tradition of joining the army, if the person doesn't want to. Williams says (p.111) external reason statements are actually false, and a misapplication of the concept of a 'reason to act'. See Idea 8815.
Related Idea
Idea 8815
Belief externalism is false, because external considerations cannot be internalized for actual use [Pollock]
The
22 ideas
with the same theme
[reasons have a distinct causal role in actions]:
5267
|
Our reasoned acts are held to be voluntary and our own doing
[Aristotle]
|
20042
|
We assign the cause of someone's walking when we say why they are doing it
[Aristotle]
|
21363
|
Motivation is causality seen from within
[Schopenhauer]
|
19615
|
I want to suppress in myself the normal reasons people have for action
[Cioran]
|
23436
|
It is an odd Humean view to think a reason to act must always involve caring
[Foot]
|
23734
|
The best explanation of reasons as purposes for actions is that they are causal
[Davidson, by Smith,M]
|
23737
|
Reasons can give purposes to actions, without actually causing them
[Smith,M on Davidson]
|
6664
|
Reasons must be causes when agents act 'for' reasons
[Davidson, by Lowe]
|
20075
|
Early Davidson says intentional action is caused by reasons
[Davidson, by Stout,R]
|
3395
|
Davidson claims that what causes an action is the reason for doing it
[Davidson, by Kim]
|
19698
|
Deviant causal chain: a reason causes an action, but isn't the reason for which it was performed
[Davidson, by Neta]
|
9284
|
Reasons are 'internal' if they give a person a motive to act, but 'external' otherwise
[Williams,B]
|
3871
|
Explaining an action is showing that it is rational
[Newton-Smith]
|
20064
|
Actions are not mere effects of reasons, but are under their control
[Audi,R]
|
6662
|
We feel belief and desire as reasons for choice, not causes of choice
[Lowe]
|
19519
|
Rational decisions are either taken to be based on evidence, or to be explained causally
[Conee/Feldman]
|
20060
|
Beliefs, desires and intentions are not events, so can't figure in causal relations
[Stout,R]
|
20055
|
A standard view says that the explanation of an action is showing its rational justification
[Stout,R]
|
20056
|
In order to be causal, an agent's reasons must be internalised as psychological states
[Stout,R]
|
20013
|
It is generally assumed that reason explanations are causal
[Wilson/Schpall]
|
20029
|
Causalists allow purposive explanations, but then reduce the purpose to the action's cause
[Wilson/Schpall]
|
18684
|
Rather than requiring an action, a reason may 'entice' us, or be 'eligible', or 'justify' it
[Orsi]
|