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Single Idea 20019

[catalogued under 20. Action / A. Definition of Action / 4. Action as Movement]

Full Idea

Some say that the movement's of agent's body are never actions. It is only the agent's direct moving of, say, his leg that constitutes a physical action; the leg movement is merely caused by and/or incorporated as part of the act of moving.

Gist of Idea

Maybe bodily movements are not actions, but only part of an agent's action of moving

Source

Wilson,G/Schpall,S (Action [2012], 1.2)

A Reaction

[they cite Jennifer Hornsby 1980] It seems normal to deny a twitch the accolade of an 'action', so I suppose that is right. Does the continual movement of my tongue count as action? Only if I bring it under control? Does it matter? Only in forensics.

Book Reference

'Stanford Online Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Stanford University [plato.stanford.edu], p.3