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    Carmelics

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    A reason that causally produces action must be internal t... — Carmelics
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    Challenges→If motivating reasons were facts (or putative facts), then we can, and sometimes do, act for a good reason.

    A reason that causally produces action must be internal to the agent, so facts qua external states cannot play the motivating role.

    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    1 reason for
    1 reason against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.Only internal mental states (beliefs, desires) can directly cause neural/behavioral changes without additional intermediaries.
      ?

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    • 2.External facts are epistemically inert until represented internally; the representation, not the fact itself, motivates action.
      ?

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    • 3.If external facts alone motivated action, agents with identical internal states but different external environments would act identically, which they don't.
      ?

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    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.External facts causally constrain which internal states are rationally justified; rationality requires responsiveness to external reality.
      ?

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    • 2.A fire's heat directly causes pain and withdrawal regardless of whether the agent pre-reflectively represents it—causation doesn't require internalization.
      ?

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    • 3.The distinction between 'external fact' and 'internal representation of it' is metaphysically unclear; what counts as 'internal' needs defense.
      ?

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    Connections

    2 topics

    Truth & Knowledge1 linkedMoral Responsibility1 linked

    Related

    A fire's heat directly causes pain and withdrawal regardless of whether the agen...External facts are epistemically inert until represented internally; the represe...External facts causally constrain which internal states are rationally justified...If external facts alone motivated action, agents with identical internal states ...
    +3 moreShow less
    If motivating reasons were facts (or putative facts), then we can, and sometimes...Only internal mental states (beliefs, desires) can directly cause neural/behavio...The distinction between 'external fact' and 'internal representation of it' is m...

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    2 (1 for, 1 against)
    Edits
    1 edit