From a moral point of view we think of ourselves as capable of responsible actions. From a scientific point of view we think of ourselves as animals whose behavior, however highly evolved, conforms to natural scientific laws. Natural Agency argues that these different perspectives can be reconciled, despite the skepticism of many philosophers who have argued that "free will" is impossible under "scientific determinism." This skepticism is best overcome according to the author, by defending a causal theory of action, that is by establishing that actions are constituted by behavioral events with the appropriate kind of mental causal history. He sets out a rich and subtle argument for such a theory and defends it against its critics. Thus the book demonstrates the importance of philosophical work in action theory for the central metaphysical task of understanding our place in nature.
FREE Two-Day Shipping for Students. Learn more |
| ||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Special Offers and Product Promotions
- Buy $50 in qualifying physical textbooks, get $5 in Amazon MP3 Credit. Here's how (restrictions apply)
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Bishop presents his theory in great detail. His discussion is always rich, subtle, insightful, helpfully repetitive (he often stops to remind us just what stage his inquiry has reached), well written (technical without being overwhelming and with a minimum of non-English formulae), well informed (his references to the literature, some of it very recent, are plentiful and apt), and fair-minded (for a compatibilist, he is admirably sensitive to incompatibilist concerns). In addition, the book is attractively and carefully produced...In sum, it is a book very much worth reading." The Philosophical Review
"Overall the views that Bishop advances are plausible, and the supporting argumentation is both very circumspect and very forceful. The organization is also excellent, and the clear and eloquent style of writing makes the book a pleasure to read. It is, in my opinion, the best book in this area." Review of Metaphysics
"Bishop takes account of recent work on free agency and causality, makes use of it for his own purposes, but goes beyond it to a distinctive view of his own which is bound to stir up interest and show the way toward new developments." Michael Slote, University of Maryland
"This is a considerable achievement. Rigorous argument abounds, and illuminating discussions and lucid presentations of what has often seemed obscure material; and it is all written with a liveliness that captures and keeps one's attention. This is a book that displays mastery of the whole field of inquiry..." Graeme Marshall, Dialogue
"Overall the views that Bishop advances are plausible, and the supporting argumentation is both very circumspect and very forceful. The organization is also excellent, and the clear and eloquent style of writing makes the book a pleasure to read. It is, in my opinion, the best book in this area." Review of Metaphysics
"Bishop takes account of recent work on free agency and causality, makes use of it for his own purposes, but goes beyond it to a distinctive view of his own which is bound to stir up interest and show the way toward new developments." Michael Slote, University of Maryland
"This is a considerable achievement. Rigorous argument abounds, and illuminating discussions and lucid presentations of what has often seemed obscure material; and it is all written with a liveliness that captures and keeps one's attention. This is a book that displays mastery of the whole field of inquiry..." Graeme Marshall, Dialogue
Book Description
From a moral point of view we think of ourselves as capable of responsible actions. From a scientific point of view we think of ourselves as animals whose behaviour, however highly evolved, conforms to natural scientific laws. Natural Agency argues that these different perspectives can be reconciled, despite the scepticism of many philosophers who have argued that 'free will' is impossible under 'scientific determinism'.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
There are no customer reviews yet.
|
|||
|
Video reviews
|
Inside This Book
(learn more)
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
