Solution to the Problem of Action

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Solution to the Problem of Action

challenge

Discover why people act,
individually and jointly.

We have to ask what actions are.

To see why problem is pressing, suppose we just replace `act` with `move`.

So many things move—rocks, people, plants, continental plates and bacteria—that it makes no sense to look for a general theory about why things move.

If we are to have a coherent research project, we need a principled way of limiting our enquiry to actions as opposed to movements more generally.

Bacteria turn out to behave in suprisingly sophisticated way, as do plants and, of course, machines.

We would ideally like a principled way of delimiting the things we are asking about so that we are not thinking above movement generally.

image source: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/939340

What distinguishes your actions from things that merely happen to you?

(The Problem of Action, see Philosophical Theories of Action)

‘Now what is an action? Not one thing, but a series of two things: the state of mind called a volition, followed by an effect. The volition or intention to produce the effect, is one thing; the effect produced in consequence of the intention, is another thing; the two together constitute the action.’

Mill, System of Logic (1.3.6) quoted in Hyman (2015, p. 218)

Two Integration Questions to solve (dual-process, motor)

Objection 1

habitual processes

Some actions run counter to any of the agent’s intentions because they are dominated by habitual processes.

Objection 2

motor processes

Invoking motor representations yields a solution to the problem of action that is no worse than the Standard Solution.

Integration Questions (x2): Yes, they actually conflict.

Next step: how to revise the theories?

a nonstandard solution

background

goal != intention

A goal is an outcome to which an action is directed.

How should we understand directedness?

The standard idea is that we understand it in terms of mental states and processes—intentions or motor representations or whatever.

But there is an alternative: we can understand directedness in terms of a set of problems to be solved. Let me explain ...

Which outcomes are achievable?

For each outcome, which means of achieving it are available?

Of the various means of achieving a given outcome, which best balance cost against well-suitedness?

Of the achievable outcomes, which best balance cost against expected benefit?

---

Having settled on an outcome and means, when should these be maintained?

...

There has to be a process by which these problems are solved, of course. But we specify directedness in terms of the problems to be solved, not the processes which solve them.

Because the goal-directed process (+motor processes) solves several of these problems, we can see it as underpinning instrumental action.

And, going the other way, because the goal-directed process solves several these problems, we can be more confident that they belong together and therefore that characterising instrumental action in this way will be fruitful.

First thought: we are assuming a notion of action so cannot use this to elucidate the notion of action.

Second thought: None of this depends on the things we are talking about being actions. We can replace action with event and things will go find

If we return to the objections, you can see that they are now solved ...

But before I do that I want to check everyone understands.

To conclude this part: this is how to solve the Problem of Action

challenge

Discover why people act,
individually and jointly.

What distinguishes your actions from things that merely happen to you?

An action is an event that is directed to an outcome.

Goal-directed, habitual processes, and motor processes and are all ways of ensuring the directedness of an event to an outcome.

Objection 1

habitual processes

Some actions run counter to any of the agent’s intentions because they are dominated by habitual processes.

Objection 2

motor processes

Invoking motor representations yields a solution to the problem of action that is no worse than the Standard Solution.

An action is an event that is directed to an outcome.

Objection 1 is no problem for the new view: we are thinking of intention as at most one ways of ensuring directedness.

Objection 2 is also no problem: motor representations and processes are just one among several ways of ensuring directedness.

(Note also that the alternative solution does not require either objection to be correct. It works even if all actions involve intentions, and even if all actions involve motor representations.)

Note

This only works for purposive actions.

Brand, 1984

Important to see that, in the solution to the Problem of Action I am proposing, there is a break with the Causal Theory of Action.

remember to explain why the dual-process theory motivates this: it’s because the processes are many

If the processes were just one, the Causal Theory of Action would be a sensible project.

1. Which things are actions (as opposed to mere happenings)?

2. Which states or processes enable agents to act?

The Causal Theory of Action answers the first question by answering the second question. By contrast, I think they are best treated independently ...

To conclude this part: this is how to solve the Problem of Action

challenge

Discover why people act,
individually and jointly.

What distinguishes your actions from things that merely happen to you?

An action is an event that is directed to an outcome.

1. Solve the Problem of Action. ✓

2. Identify a role for motor representation in joint action.

This solution is not to be taken too seriously—as explained on the handout. My job is not to solve problems—that is yours.

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Solution to the Problem of Action

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