Knowing yourself—and giving up on your own agency in the process

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

Australasian Journal of Philosophy

Publication Date

12-1-2012

Volume

90

Issue

4

First Page

641

Last Page

656

Publisher

Routledge

Abstract

Are there cases in which agents ought to give up on satisfying an obligation, so that they can avoid a temptation which will lead them to freely commit an even more significant wrong? Actualists say yes. Possibilists say no. Both positions have absurd consequences. This paper argues that common-sense morality is committed to an inconsistent triad of principles. This inconsistency becomes acute when we consider the cases that motivate the possibilism–actualism debate. Thus, the absurd consequences of both solutions are unsurprising: any proposed solution will have consequences incompatible with common moral practice. Arguments for denying one of the principles are considered and rejected. The paper then suggests that the inconsistent moral commitments originate in an inconsistent picture of human agency. Revisionary pictures of human agency are considered. It is argued that a quasi-Platonic picture of agency, similar to that advocated by Gary Watson 1977, is the most promising.

DOI

10.1080/00048402.2011.617761

Print ISSN

00048402

E-ISSN

14716828

Publisher Statement

Copyright © 2012 Australasian Association of Philosophy

Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Baker, D. C. (2012). Knowing yourself—and giving up on your own agency in the process. Australasian Journal of Philosophy, 90(4), 641-656. doi: 10.1080/00048402.2011.617761

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