Actions and other events
Subtitle: the unifier-multiplier controversy
By: Karl Pfeifer.
Series: American university studies.; v. 75
Publisher: P. Lang; Lang Publishing, Incorporated, Peter
Published: 1989
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 203
Subjects: Davidson, Donald, 1917-; Goldman, Alvin I., 1938-; Act (Philosophy); Events (Philosophy); Intentionality (Philosophy); Agent (Philosophy)
Other titles: Unifier-multiplier controversy.
Description: This book is a general defence of Donald Davidson's and G.E.M. Anscombe's 'unifying' approach to the individuation of actions and other events against objections raised by Alvin I. Goldman and others. It is argued that, ironically, Goldman's rival 'multiplying'  account is itself vulnerable to these objections, whereas Davidson's account survives them. Although claims that the unifier-multiplier dispute is not really substantive are shown to be unfounded, some room for limited agreement over the  ontological status of events is indicated. Davidson's causal criterion of event identity is then defended against charges of triviality or inadequacy. It is concluded that Davidson's criterion is not primarily a criterion for arriving at particular judgments of individuation, but a metaphysical standard for the correctness of such judgments, however arrived at.

Contents: Unifiers vs. Multipliers - Davidson's individuation of events - Goldman's act generation - causal, 'by'-relational, and temporal problems - ontology and event constituents - Davidson's causal criterion. This book is unique in providing a detailed survey  and analysis of the recent unifier-multiplier dispute, and will be of interest to all researchers in action theory, as well as those working more broadly in metaphysics, philosophy of language, and philosophy of mind.
Notes: Bibliography: p. [189]-198.
Includes index.
Table of contents: label: 1
title: INTRODUCTION; label: 1.1
title: Anscombe's Question
pagenum: 1; label: 1.2
title: Unifiers vs. Multipliers
pagenum: 5; label: 2
title: THE UNIFYING APPROACH; label: 2.1
title: Davidson's Approach
pagenum: 7; label: 2.2
title: Three Major Objections
pagenum: 10; label: 3
title: THE MULTIPLYING APPROACH AS ALTERNATIVE; label: 3.1
title: Goldman's Account
pagenum: 15; label: 3.2
title: Goldman and the Three Objections
pagenum: 22; label: 4
title: A CONSIDERATION OF MODIFICATIONS TO THE MULTIPLYING ACCOUNT; label: 4.1
title: Preamble
pagenum: 39; label: 4.2
title: An Example Retouched
pagenum: 41; label: 4.3
title: An Example Untouched
pagenum: 47; label: 4.4
title: Inclusion Excluded
pagenum: 54; label: 4.5
title: Counterfactuals Fingered
pagenum: 60; label: 5
title: THE THREE OBJECTIONS RECONSIDERED; label: 5.1
title: Preamble
pagenum: 63; label: 5.2
title: The Causal Objection
pagenum: 64; label: 5.3
title: The Relational Objection
pagenum: 81; label: 5.4
title: The Temporal Objection
pagenum: 96; label: 5.5
title: Postscript
pagenum: 114; label: 6
title: IS THE DISPUTE REAL?; label: 6.1
title: Comparative Phraseology
pagenum: 117; label: 6.2
title: Some Facts About Values
pagenum: 125; label: 7
title: FINAL WORDS ON THE MULTIPLIERS; label: 7.1
title: Summary
pagenum: 133; label: 7.2
title: Some Ontological Matters
pagenum: 135; label: 7.3
title: The Constituents Conception of Events
pagenum: 140; label: 8
title: THE CAUSAL CRITERION OF EVENT IDENTITY; label: 8.1
title: Preamble
pagenum: 153; label: 8.2
title: Is Davidson's Criterion Interesting?
pagenum: 154; label: 8.3
title: Is Davidson's Criterion True?
pagenum: 163; label: 9
title: CONCLUSION; label: 9.1
title: Anscombe's Question Revisited
pagenum: 179; label: 9.2
title: Individuation and Identity
pagenum: 181; title: BIBLIOGRAPHY
pagenum: 189; title: INDEX
pagenum: 199