Single Idea 23735

[catalogued under 20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 1. Acting on Desires]

Full Idea

It is an adequacy constraint on any conception of desire that the epistemology of desire it recommends allows that subjects may be fallible about the desires they have.

Gist of Idea

Subjects may be fallible about the desires which explain their actions

Source

Michael Smith (The Moral Problem [1994], 4.5)

Book Reference

Smith,Michael: 'The Moral Problem' [Blackwell 1994], p.107


A Reaction

[I do wish authors would write my short versions instead of their rambling sentences!] Even after the event we may be unsure why we did something. If someone observes self-interest when I thought my action was altruistic, I don't know how to respond.