Negative actions : events, absences, and the metaphysics of agency / Jonathan D. Payton.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Payton, Jonathan D., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Act (Philosophy).

Events (Philosophy).

Agent (Philosophy).

Intentionality (Philosophy).

Action theory.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (viii, 238 pages) : digital, PDF file(s)

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York, NY, USA : Cambridge University Press, 2021.

System Details:

text file

PDF

Summary:

Negative actions, like intentional omissions or refrainments, seem to be genuine actions. The standard metaphysical theories of action are event-based: they treat actions as events of a special kind. However, it seems that many (and perhaps all) negative actions are not events, but absences thereof. This is the first book-length treatment of the problem of negative action. It surveys the recent literature, and shows how the problem is rooted in interconnected issues in metaphysics, the philosophy of action, and the philosophy of language. In particular, it connects competing views of the ontology of negative actions to competing views of the semantics of 'negative action sentences', and develops unique ontological and semantic theories to solve the problem. It provides a comprehensive picture of the nature of negative actions, our thought and talk about them, and their place in a theory of action.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 22 Feb 2021).

Other Format:

Print version:

ISBN:

9781108885157

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.