File spoon-archives/bhaskar.archive/bhaskar_1998/bhaskar.9802, message 32


From: Colin.Wight-AT-aber.ac.uk (Colin Wight)
Subject: Re:  BHA: Aristotle and all that
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 11:56:20 +0000


Hi Howard,

Yes, it's funny how many times I must have read RTS and that small bit in
brackets slipped past me. But it is wrong of course. How else can society be
construed but as, at least, part of the cause of intentional activity.
However, by PON, this can't really be thought of as RB's position. Ironic
isn't it that in RTS RB mounts an attack on the positivist account of cause
only to succumb to its charms here. This is the only reason I can see to
deny that society is the cause of activity.

Anyway on the PON chapter re agency. I wan't really alluding to the
difference between reasons and beliefs, although RB does deal with this in
the chapter. My point was the relatively simple one that X may supply me
with a reason to do Y, but that X doesn't do Y, I do. However, in order to
understand Y one would have to understand the role of X. Our reasons, of
course, are always formulated in the context of beliefs, so the two are
distinct and I don't think RB elides them. Hence the reason for my taking a
drink of water at the moment is my thirst, but this has to be placed in the
context of my general belief that water quenches thirst. One
moment.....slurp...and so it does.

Thanks,



------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Colin Wight
Department of International Politics
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Tel: (01970) 621769

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