ACTION, WILL, AND FREEDOM

Philosophy 736-358-001

University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee Spring 2004

Course Description

What differentiates actions, such as raising my arm, from mere happening and body movements, such as the rising of my arm?  In the first part of this course, we will investigate the distinction between actions and happenings and why this distinction should matter to us. To begin with, we will investigate whether actions are distinct from mere bodily movements because they are caused in special ways, i.e., by the agent or by acts of will (or volitions) and whether this is sufficient to make the actions voluntary. We then consider (a) the relation between simple momentary actions and more complex and temporally extended activities; (b) the nature of intentions and intentional actions; and (c) the relation between the nature of the self and that of the loci of agential and intentional control. Special attention will be devoted to the nature of the understanding and explanation of actions. Can actions be fully explained and understood in purely causal terms along with other natural phenomena or is there a special mode of interpreting, understanding and explaining our conduct that appeals to the irreducible idea of reasons for action? 

The question of the relation between causal phenomena and actions is also the starting point for the discussion of the problem of free will, which is the focus of the second part of this course. What does it mean for our actions and our wills to be free? Is this freedom compatible with the determination of our conduct by causal events outside of our control? What is the relation between freedom and the idea of the self?

Readings drawn, for the most part, from works of contemporary analytic philosophers.

REQUIRED TEXTS

 

G. Watson (ed.) Free Will. Oxford University Press. 2003. 2nd Edition  Please note that the 1st edition is NOT suitable for this class
Other REQUIRED readings  are indicated below in BOLDFACE (these readings are available on line -- see the links below)
GRADUATE STUDENTS are required to read also the texts marked with (G) below, plus additional readings to be announced during the semester

Supplementary Readings

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SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READINGS

 

Date	Date	Lecture	Topic	READINGS Required readings are in boldface (those marked  (G) are required for Graduate Students only) Supplementary readings are in smaller font	Written Assignments
27/01		I	Presentation of the course, syllabus and grading policy	G. Wilson Action Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (G)
29/01		II	Agency and the Will I	A. Kenny "The Will", The Metaphysics of Mind, Ch. 3 Melden "Action" The Philosophical Review, Vol. 65, No. 4. (Oct., 1956), pp. 523-541.
03/02		III	Agency and the Will II	D. Davidson "Agency", Essays on Action and Events, Ch. 3
05/02		IV	Acts of Will	G. Ryle "The Will" The Concept of Mind, Ch. III (sections 1-4) J. Hornsby, "Acting and Trying to Act", Actions, Ch. III (G) O'Shaughnessy Trying (As the Mental "Pineal Gland") The Journal of Philosophy, Vol. 70, No. 13, On Trying and Intending. (Jul. 19, 1973), pp. 365-386
10/02		V	Basic and Complex Actions	A. Danto, "Basic Actions" [eres] Anscombe, Intention, sections 22-26 [eres] A. Danto "What We Can Do" The Journal of Philosophy, Vol. 60, No. 15, Symposium: Human Action. (Jul. 18, 1963), pp. 435-445
12/02		VI	Negative Actions - Omissions	Von Wright "Freedom and Determination", Acta Philosophica Fennica 31.1 (1980),  pp. 18-26 [eres] G. Ryle, "Negative Actions", On Thinking, Ch. 7 [eres] G. Ryle "Courses of Action or the Uncatchableness of Mental Acts." Philosophy, 2000, vol. 75, no. 293, pp. 331 Direct Subscription
17/02		VII	Intentional Action I	J.L. Austin "A Plea for Excuses"[eres] J.L. Austin "Three Ways of Spilling Ink" E. Anscombe, Intention, sections 1-2, 4-6 [eres]	study questions  for first test distributed
19/02		VIII	Intentional Action II	same as above
24/02		IX	FIRST TEST		FIRST TEST
26/02		X	Intentions for future action	J. Searle, "Intention and Action", Intentionality, Ch. 3 [eres] Malcolm, Consciousness and Causality, pp. 79-93 [eres] R.K. Sheer, “The Causal Theory of Intentions”, Philosophical Investigations 1994 (G)
02/03		XI	Intentions for future action	Hampshire, Freedom of the Individual Ch. 3 [eres]
04/03		XII	Explanation of Action I (Reason and Causes)	C. McGinn "Action and Its Explanation" [**] D. Davidson "Action Reasons and Causes" (G) D. Davidson "Problems in the Explanation of Action" (G)
09/03		XIII	Explanation of Action II	F. Stoutland "Responsive Action and the Belief/Desire Model" G. Wilson "Reasons as Causes for Action" (G)
11/03		XIV		same as above
16/03		XV	No Class	--------------
18/03		XVI	Explanation of Action III	H. Frankfurt "The Problem of Action"	study questions  for second test distributed
---			SPRING BREAK	SPRING BREAK
30/03		XVII	Agency and the Self I	C. Korsgaard Self-Constitution: Action, Identity and Integrity -- The John Locke Lectures 2002 (Lectures 3 & 4)
01/04		XVIII	SECOND TEST		SECOND TEST
06/04		XIX	Agency and the Self II	Velleman 'Behavior, Action and Activity"--  Introduction to The Possibility of Practical Reason [eres]
08/04		XX	Freedom and Free Will	Introduction
13/04		XXI	Freedom and the Self	R.M. Chisholm "Human Freedom and the Self" (FW)
15/04		XXII	Incompatibilism	P. Van Inwagen "An argument for incompatibilism" (FW)	topics of final  paper distributed
20/04		XXIII	Freedom and Responsibility	Harry G. Frankfurt "Alternate possibilities and moral responsibility" (FW)
22/04		XXIV	Freedom and Resentment	P. Strawson "Freedom and Resentment" (FW)
27/04		XXV	Freedom of Will and Freedom of Action	H.G. Frankfurt "Freedom of the Will and the Concept of a Person" (FW) G. Watson "Free Agency" (FW) (G)
29/04		XXVI		Rogers Albritton  "Freedom of will and freedom of action" (FW)	study questions  for third test distributed
04/05		XXVII	Writing Workshop	See instructions on my homepage	DRAFT OF SECOND PAPER DUE IN CLASS
06/05		XXVIII	Writing Workshop	See instructions on my homepage	COMMENTS ON DRAFT DUE IN CLASS
11/05		XXIX	Summary and Review
13/05		XXX	THIRD  TEST		THIRD TEST
14/05			FINAL PAPER Due in my mailbox by 4:00pm	FINAL PAPER	FINAL PAPER

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ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING POLICY

UNDERGRADUATES

3 in-class tests	15% each
Final Paper (1800-2400 words)	35%
Class participation (attendance and participation in class discussion)	10%
Peer Commentaries in the writing workshop	10%

GRADUATE STUDENTS have a substantially different set of requirements. If you are a graduate student enrolled in this class please talk to the instructor.
[please note that Graduate Students have additional reading requirements -- marked with (G) above]
 

• Attendance to lectures and writing workshops is mandatory
  
• PAPERS MUST BE SUBMITTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CLASS BY THE DEADLINES indicated above. All late papers will be marked 1 grade down for each day or portion thereof that they are late, including weekends and holidays (for instance, if a paper is due on Tuesday at 2:05 p.m. and it is turned in on Wed at 5.00 p.m., it will be penalized two full grades). The penalty applies BOTH to the first and the final draft of each paper (e.g., if you turn both the first and the final draft one day late, your will be penalized 2 full grades).
  
• In order to pass this course you MUST COMPLETE ALL assignments. You must take the in-class tests, participate in the writing workshops, turn in both papers and take the final exam.

Click here to see the GRADING GUIDELINES for Undergraduates

Please note that PLAGIARISM is a serious instance of Academic Misconduct

Plagiarism includes:

1. Directly quoting the words of others without using quotation marks or indented format to identify them; or,
2. Using sources of information (published or unpublished) without identifying them; or,
3. Paraphrasing materials or ideas of others without identifying the sources.

UWM Policy concerning Plagiarism is available at http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/OSL/DOS/conduct.html 

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WRITING WORKSHOP

In this class, you are given the opportunity to benefit from the comments of your peers on the first draft of your papers. You must submit the first draft of the papers a few days in advance of the writing workshop. Two other students will be assigned to you as commentators. You will meet with them at the writing workshop and discuss with them how to improve your draft. You then have some more days to revise your draft before submitting the final version for grading (for the exact deadlines, see the schedule above). You will also be commenting on the work of two other students. You will receive their drafts on the day when your draft is due. You will turn in your written comments at the writing workshop.

Please note that the active participation in the writing workshop is REQUIRED in order to pass the class. Detailed instructions about the writing workshop will be distributed during the term and made available on my homepage at http://www.uwm.edu/~ferrero/writing-workshop.htm.

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CLASS REFLECTOR: a class reflector ( ) has been set up up for general announcements. PLEASE NOTE that if you do not use your ePanther/alpha account regularly, it is your responsibility to make sure that your UWM mail is forwarded to your preferred email account (for instructions on UWM ePanther accounts go to http://www.uwm.edu/IMT/ePanther/).

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Academic Misconduct Policy: see http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/OSL/DOS/conduct.html

Drop/Audit Policy: Students will be allowed to drop the course up through the last day permitted by the Registrar. Likewise, students may elect to audit the course up through the last day permitted by the Registrar

Grievance and Appeals Policy: The Department of Philosophy has procedures for handling student grievance and grade-appeals. Information is available in the Department office, 612 Curtin Hall

Special Assistance: If you need special assistance, please contact me the first day of class

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