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Single Idea 20047

[catalogued under 20. Action / B. Preliminaries of Action / 1. Intention to Act / a. Nature of intentions]

Full Idea

In the vast majority of actions you need to look outwards to work out what you should do. An exam invigilator should consult the clock to design when to end the exam, not her state of mind.

Gist of Idea

Deciding what to do usually involves consulting the world, not our own minds

Source

Rowland Stout (Action [2005], 3 'The belief-')

A Reaction

Stout defends externalist intentions. I remain unconvinced. It is no good looking at a clock if you don't form a belief about what it says, and the belief is obviously closer than the clock to the action. Intellectual virtue requires checking the facts.

Book Reference

Stout,Rowland: 'Action' [Acumen 2005], p.39