Explaining Our Actions - A Critique of Common-Sense Theorizing

This book critiques so-called 'belief-desire psychology,' which is implicit in commonsense thinking and has been variously elaborated by philosophers. It will be of interest to anyone who relies on assumptions drawn from commonsense psychology in their work, whether in philosophy of mind, epistemology, moral psychology, ethics, or psychology.

List of contents

Preface; 1. Introduction and background assumptions; 2. Habits, skills, and know-how; 3. Affect-caused action; 4. Mental actions; 5. Decision-making and goals; 6. Pleasure and (affective forms of) desire; 7. Belief, judgment, and knowledge; 8. Do attitudes come in degrees?; 9. Summary and conclusions; References; Index.

About the author

Peter Carruthers is Distinguished University Professor of Philosophy at the University of Maryland. His publications include Human and Animal Minds (2019) and Human Motives: Hedonism, Altruism, and the Science of Affect (2024).

Summary

This book critiques so-called 'belief–desire psychology,' which is implicit in commonsense thinking and has been variously elaborated by philosophers. It will be of interest to anyone who relies on assumptions drawn from commonsense psychology in their work, whether in philosophy of mind, epistemology, moral psychology, ethics, or psychology.

Foreword

Shows how widely accepted accounts of the mental states and processes explaining action are in need of a complete make-over.

Product details

• Authors: Peter Carruthers, Peter (University of Maryland Carruthers
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.06.2025
• EAN: 9781009585767
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0958576-7
• No. of pages: 232
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: general, reference works; PHILOSOPHY / Mind & Body, PHILOSOPHY / Ethics & Moral Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind, PSYCHOLOGY / Cognitive Psychology & Cognition, Ethics and moral philosophy, Cognition and cognitive psychology