Free Will and Agency
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Abstract
Abstract
Abstract This essay is about a variety of action errors I call “Mistaken Actions” and a puzzle they pose for Causal Theories of Action. I begin with Davidson’s version of the Causal Theory and pose the puzzle as a dilemma: if his theory explains what makes a mistaken action mistaken, then it can’t explain what makes it intentional; and if his theory explains what makes a mistaken action intentional, then it can’t explain what makes it mistaken. I then propose three ways in which more recent Causal Guidance Theories may be able to resolve the dilemma but argue that none yield a definitive solution.
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@article{Springle2026Mistaken,
title = {Mistaken actions: Davidson’s enduring dilemma},
author = {Alison Ann Springle},
journal = {Philosophical Studies},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1007/s11098-026-02609-8},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s11098-026-02609-8}
}FAQ
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