Maarten van Doorn
Sep 1, 2018 · 1 min read

Interesting!

So on the analogue with Zeno’s paradox, as I see it, as some point reaons run out.

Such explanations come to an end when all available reasons have been given. But this, I believe, means that an autonomous intentional explanation cannot explain precisely what it is supposed to explain, namely why I did what I did rather than the alternative that was also open to me.

It says I did it for certain reasons, but does not explain why I didn’t decide not to do it for other reasons.

We say that someone’s self and values are revealed by the choices he makes in such circumstances, but one’s character and values too must either (1) have or (2) lack an explanation.

On possibility (1), if the ultimate grounds of our actions also have a causal explanation, the explanation of why I did what I did takes us out of the domain of subjective reasons for action and into the domain of formative causes.

So when Zeno’s paradox ends, we’re either left with something unexplained, or we move to the domain of causes.

    Maarten van Doorn

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    PhD candidate in philosophy. Reconsidering the obvious. Chasing interestingness. Get good ideas that make you think: maartenvandoorn.com