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Introduction

featuring questions from

- DanielKnoth

- lokindra427

- JoelK57

challenge

Discover why people act,
individually and jointly.

As you remember, this course is based on a simple challenge.

?

key notion: instrumental action

JoelK57

Would an involountary action which still aims to achieve a goal (which we may desire), such as coughing to clear our throat, count as an instrumental action? Yes!

glossary: An action is instrumental if it happens in order to bring about an outcome.

No mention that it has to be voluntary.

If no, would actions where our motivation is hidden from ourselves (acting on a subconscious desire) also not count as instrumental action, as they aim at a goal even if we are not consciously aware of it?

‘The goal of their actions is to find a new home.’

Goal is just an outcome to which an action is directed
Note that talk about goals is agnostic about voluntariness or consciousness or intentions or any other states or processes.
After all, there is a sense in which some of the actions of swarming bees are directed to finding a new home.
We can be confident that this is true independently of knowing whether the bees’ actions are voluntary.

?

key notion: instrumental action

JoelK57

Would an involountary action which still aims to achieve a goal (which we may desire), such as coughing to clear our throat, count as an instrumental action? Yes!

glossary: An action is instrumental if it happens in order to bring about an outcome.

If no, would actions where our motivation is hidden from ourselves (acting on a subconscious desire) also not count as instrumental action, as they aim at a goal even if we are not consciously aware of it?

Two fundamental questions about action

Question 1

What is the relation between an instrumental action and an outcome to which it is directed?

Question 2

JoelK57

Would an involountary action which still aims to achieve a goal (which we may desire), such as coughing to clear our throat, count as an instrumental action? If no, would actions where our motivation is hidden from ourselves (acting on a subconscious desire) also not count as instrumental action, as they aim at a goal even if we are not consciously aware of it?

Two fundamental questions about action

Question 1

What is the relation between an instrumental action and an outcome to which it is directed?

Standard Answer

The outcome to which an instrumental action is directed is that outcome specified by the intention which caused it.

Question 2

What distinguishes your actions from things that merely happen to you?


Standard Solution

Your actions are those events which stand in an appropriate causal relation to an intention of yours.

complication: habitual vs goal directed processes?

Lecture 01: There are theoretically coherent models

Lecture 02: ... but does either actually explain any actions?