Wall, D. (2009) Are there passive desires? Dialectica. 63(2), pp. 133-155. 0012-2017.
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Abstract:
What is the relation between desire and action? According to a traditional, widespread and influential view I call ‘The Motivational Necessity of Desire’ (MN) having a desire that p entails being disposed to act in ways you believe will bring about p. But what about desires like a desire that the committee chooses you without your needing to do anything, or a desire that your child passes her exams on her own? Such ‘self-passive’ desires are often given as a counter example to MN. If MN is true then self-passive desires seem absurd: if someone has a self-passive desire she will be disposed to act, thereby preventing her from getting what she desires. But it seems we can reasonably, and often do, have such desires. However, I argue that self-passive desires are not, in fact, counter-examples to MN: close consideration of the content of these desires, the contexts in which we ascribe them, and what is claimed by MN shows that they are not a problem for that view. I also argue that strengthened versions of the examples are unsuccessful, and I offer a diagnosis of why these kinds of case are commonly thought to raise a challenge to MN.
Subjects:
Creators:
Wall, D.
Publisher:
Blackwell
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes:
Date:
2009
Date Type:
Publication
Page Range:
pp. 133-155
Journal or Publication Title:
Dialectica
Volume:
63
Number:
2
Language:
English
ISSN:
0012-2017
Status:
Published / Disseminated
Refereed:
Yes
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