Irrationality: An Essay on Akrasia, Self-Deception, and Self-Control

Irrationality: An Essay on Akrasia, Self-Deception, and Self-Control
ISBN-10
0195359879
ISBN-13
9780195359879
Series
Irrationality
Category
Philosophy
Pages
183
Language
English
Published
1992-09-24
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Author
Alfred R. Mele

Description

Although much human action serves as proof that irrational behavior is remarkably common, certain forms of irrationality--most notably, incontinent action and self-deception--pose such difficult theoretical problems that philosophers have rejected them as logically or psychologically impossible. Here, Mele shows that, and how, incontinent action and self-deception are indeed possible. Drawing upon recent experimental work in the psychology of action and inference, he advances naturalized explanations of akratic action and self-deception while resolving the paradoxes around which the philosophical literature revolves. In addition, he defends an account of self-control, argues that "strict" akratic action is an insurmountable obstacle for traditional belief-desire models of action-explanation, and explains how a considerably modified model accommodates action of this sort.

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