Date of Award
6-2012
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Philosophy
Advisor(s)
Mark Heller
Keywords
Motivating Reasons, Anti-Psychologism, Psychologism, Propositionalism
Subject Categories
Philosophy
Abstract
I argue that many recent anti-psychologistic accounts of agential reasons are unsatisfactory. I also argue that psychologistic accounts are false. Then I develop and defend an anti-psychologistic, propositionalist theory of reasons whereby agential reasons are propositions. I also develop a corresponding anti-psychologistic account of reason-explanation that is able to help resolve some of the more difficult problems for theories of anti-psychologism. Next, I argue for a Russellian theory of propositionalism. Finally, I argue against teleological theories of reasons.
Access
Open Access
Recommended Citation
Dickinson, Jeremy Anon, "An Essay on the Ontology of Reasons" (2012). Philosophy - Dissertations. 69.
https://surface.syr.edu/phi_etd/69
