Davidson’s Causal Theory of Action

Zakeri, Mehdi

Davidson’s Causal Theory of Action

Document Type : Research Article

Author

Mehdi Zakeri

Assistant Professor of the Institute of Islamic Sciences and Culture

Abstract

According to Logical Positivists, agent's reason in his action causes that action; and explanation of action by reason is causal and so is lawful. On the other hand, Wittgenstein and Wittgensteinians deny that reasons could be causes, and maintain that the explanation of action by reason is merely rational, not causal. Davidson’s causal theory of action is a middle position, for on the one hand maintains that reasons cause actions, and on the other hand, denies that the relation between reason and action could be lawful. According to Davidson, explanation of action by reason is both rational and causal

Keywords

Donald Davidson

Causal Theory of Action

Causal Explanation

Rational Explanation

Law

Generalization

منابع

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