Full Idea
Beliefs, desires and intentions are states of mind rather than events, but events are the only things that figure in causal relations.
Gist of Idea
Beliefs, desires and intentions are not events, so can't figure in causal relations
Source
Rowland Stout (Action [2005], 5 'Do beliefs')
A Reaction
This is exactly why we have the concept of 'the will' - because it is a mental state to which we attribute active causal powers. We then have to explain how this 'will' is related to the other mental states (which presume motivate or drive it?).
Book Reference
Stout,Rowland: 'Action' [Acumen 2005], p.76
Related Idea
Idea 3445 Causation among objects relates either events or states [Chisholm]