Philosophy
Current Students: Undergraduates
Core modules and Options at Level 10
PHI9PC - Action and Responsibility
We normally think of ourselves as responsible agents: it is up to me to decide how to live my life, and I am responsible for what I do (and for what I think and feel?). But responsibility is thought to require ‘freedom of the will’; and it is controversial whether, or in what sense, we have such freedom. There seems to be a sharp conflict between our (unreflective, usually unquestioning) conception of ourselves as responsible agents, and our philosophical uncertainty about the reality of ‘freedom of the will'.
This module will begin and end with this problem. To understand it, however (let alone try to resolve it), we will need to examine the idea of responsibility: what is it to be, or not to be, responsible; under what conditions are we properly held not to be responsible, and why? We will also need to examine the concept of human action (since it is for our actions that we are paradigmatically held responsible), which will involve studying a cluster of related concepts such as intention, trying or ‘volition’, acting for reasons and acting rationally, and weakness of will.
Outcomes
The module will introduce students to central aspects of the philosophy of action. It also aims, as do all Philosophy modules, to improve students’ skills in critical reading and thinking and oral communication, through seminar discussions and essay writing. (See Section B of the Philosophy Student Handbook for more details.)
Reading Material
The two main texts for the module (both of which are available in paperback) are –
| G Watson (ed.), | Free Will | (2nd ed.; Oxford University Press, 2003) |
| A Mele (ed.) | The Philosophy of Action | (Oxford University Press, 1997) |
You will also find useful material in –
| C J Moya | The Philosophy of Action | (Polity Press, 1990) |
For preparatory reading, look at the Introduction to Watson, Free Will and the first paper (Chisholm).
Availability: |
Honours (semester 5 or 7), 3 Year Named Degree, General Degree |
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Prerequisite: |
Any level 9 Philosophy module |
Assessment: |
Coursework (one required essay, 50%); three hour exam (50%). Students may choose to submit a second essay to improve their coursework grade. |
Teaching Pattern: |
Two lectures and one one-hour seminar each week
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Regulations: |
For purposes of the University’s attendance regulation 14, lectures and seminars are prescribed classes. The rationale for prescribing these classes may be found in the Philosophy Student Handbook, s. F, which also contains regulations relating to the submission of essays, and other matters. |
If you would like to know more about this module please contact Rowan Cruft .