more from G.E.M. Anscombe

Single Idea 20041

[catalogued under 20. Action / B. Preliminaries of Action / 1. Intention to Act / a. Nature of intentions]

Full Idea

Intentional actions are those to which a certain sense of the question 'Why?' is given application; the sense is of course that in which the answer, if positive, gives a reason for acting.

Gist of Idea

Intentional actions are those which are explained by giving the reason for so acting

Source

G.E.M. Anscombe (Intention [1957], p.9), quoted by Rowland Stout - Action 2 'Two kinds'

Book Reference

Stout,Rowland: 'Action' [Acumen 2005], p.15


A Reaction

This works better for grand large-scale actions than for small ones, like taking the knife out of the drawer before the fork. Kahnemann nowadays tells us that the reasons we articulate might not be the ones that are operative.

Related Idea

Idea 20044 The rationalistic approach says actions are intentional when subject to justification [Stout,R]