Action Theory : Proceedings of the Winnipeg Conference on Human Action, Held at Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 9–11 May 1975

Gilbert Ryle, in his Concept of Mind (1949), attacked volitional theories of human actions; J. L. Austin, in his " If and Cans" (1956), emphasized the complexity and difficulty of analyzing the nature of human ability and opportunity. About the same time, Wittgenstein in the Investigations posed the question, without answering it, "What is left over when we subtract the arm rising from the raising of it?" These philosophers, among others, were pointing to the paucity of philosophically adequate knowledge and theoretical clarity concerning human action and related notions. They recognized, however, that clarity in such matters is essential if work on the freedom-determinism issue, moral responsibility, the social sciences and jurisprudence or any area where human action is a central concept, is to go forward. During the decade following, a number of notable attempts were made to deal with the problems surrounding human action and ability. Some of the major efforts were A. I. Melden's Free Action (Humanities Press, 1961), Front Matter....Pages I-VI Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Introduction by the Editors....Pages 3-7 Front Matter....Pages 9-9 Action, Knowledge, and Representation....Pages 11-25 Intention, Practical Knowledge and Representation....Pages 27-43 Front Matter....Pages 45-45 Volitions Re-Affirmed....Pages 47-66 The Volitional Theory Revisited....Pages 67-84 Front Matter....Pages 85-85 The Logic of Action....Pages 87-104 The Twofold Structure and the Unity of Practical Thinking....Pages 105-130 Front Matter....Pages 131-131 Particulars, Events, and Actions....Pages 133-157 Events as Property Exemplifications....Pages 159-177 Events and Actions: Some Comments on Brand and Kim....Pages 179-192 Reply to Martin....Pages 193-196 Front Matter....Pages 197-197 The Agent as Cause....Pages 199-211 How Does Agent Causality Work?....Pages 213-238 Front Matter....Pages 239-239 ‘Can’ in Theory and Practice: A Possible Worlds Analysis....Pages 241-270 Time and Modality in the ‘Can’ of Opportunity....Pages 271-287 Comment on Walton’s Paper....Pages 289-290 Front Matter....Pages 291-291 Action and Responsibility....Pages 293-310 Action and Responsibility....Pages 311-322 Front Matter....Pages 323-323 The Morality of Cognitive Decision-Making....Pages 325-340 Back Matter....Pages 341-351 Proceedings of the Winnipeg Conference on Human Action, held at Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 9-11 May 1975