Kinds of Reasons: An Essay in the Philosophy of Action by Maria Alvarez (English

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Understanding human beings and their distinctive rational and volitional capacities requires a clear account of such things as reasons, desires, emotions, and motives, and how they combine to produce and explain human behaviour. Maria Alvarez presents a fresh and incisive study of these concepts, centred on reasons and their role in human agency.

FORMATHardcover LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Publisher Description

Understanding human beings and their distinctive rational and volitional capacities is one of the central tasks of philosophy. The task requires a clear account of such things as reasons, desires, emotions and motives, and of how they combine to produce and explain human behaviour. In Kinds of Reasons, Maria Alvarez offers a fresh and incisive treatment of these issues, focusing in particular on reasons as they feature in contexts of agency. Her accountbuilds on some important recent work in the area; but she takes her main inspiration from the tradition that receives its seminal contemporary expression in the writings of G.E.M. Anscombe, a tradition that runscounter to the broadly Humean orthodoxy that has dominated the theory of action for the past forty years. Alvarez's conclusions are therefore likely to be controversial; and her bold and painstaking arguments will be found provocative by participants on every side of the debates with which she engages. Clear and directly written, Kinds of Reasons aims to stake out a distinctive position within one of the most hotly contested areas of contemporary philosophy.

Author Biography

Maria Alvarez is a Lecturer in Philosophy at King's College Lonodon.

Table of Contents

Introduction1: Reasons2: Reasons, Kinds, Ontology3: Motivation and Desires4: Desires and Motivating Reasons5: Beliefs and Motivating Reasons6: The Explanation of Action

Review

Maria Alvarez has written a clear and thoughtful book which not only offers a serious challenge to the standard view of reasons... It does not disappoint * Constantine Sandis, Times Literary Supplement *Alvarez's bright and breezy book is about action, reasons, motivation and explanation... a useful antidote to the Humean dogma on philosophy of action * Neil Sinclair, The Philosophical Quarterly *

Promotional

A fresh and incisive study of these concepts, centred on reasons and their role in human agency.

Long Description

Understanding human beings and their distinctive rational and volitional capacities is one of the central tasks of philosophy. The task requires a clear account of such things as reasons, desires, emotions and motives, and of how they combine to produce and explain human behaviour. In Kinds of Reasons, Maria Alvarez offers a fresh and incisive treatment of these issues, focusing in particular on reasons as they feature in contexts of agency. Her accountbuilds on some important recent work in the area; but she takes her main inspiration from the tradition that receives its seminal contemporary expression in the writings of G.E.M. Anscombe, a tradition that runs counter to the broadly Humean orthodoxy that has dominated the theory of action for the past fortyyears. Alvarez's conclusions are therefore likely to be controversial; and her bold and painstaking arguments will be found provocative by participants on every side of the debates with which she engages. Clear and directly written, Kinds of Reasons aims to stake out a distinctive position within one of the most hotly contested areas of contemporary philosophy.

Review Quote

"This is an interesting and clearly written addition to the literature. Recommended." --CHOICE

Feature

Long awaited first book by established philosopherClearly and concisely writtenA hot topic in philosophy

Details ISBN019955000X Author Maria Alvarez Publisher Oxford University Press Year 2010 ISBN-10 019955000X ISBN-13 9780199550005 Format Hardcover Imprint Oxford University Press Subtitle An Essay in the Philosophy of Action Place of Publication Oxford Country of Publication United Kingdom Short Title KINDS OF REASONS Language English Media Book Pages 220 Illustrations black & white illustrations DEWEY 128.4 Affiliation Professor of English, Mars Hill College UK Release Date 2010-03-25 Publication Date 2010-03-25 AU Release Date 2010-03-25 NZ Release Date 2010-03-25 Edited by Noel J. Kinnamon Birth 1955 Position Director Qualifications QC Alternative 9780199680580 Audience General We've got this

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