PHIL 490: CURRENT PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES
PHIL 490: Current Philosophical Issues
The Generic Course Description
As the title indicates, this course covers current issues in Philosophy.
PHIL 490: Current Philosophical Issues: Philosophy of Action
Diana Meyers
We will focus on a topic in philosophy of action variously called “personal autonomy” and “free agency.” The core question this topic raises is: What is required for a person’s conduct to be genuinely her/his own? In the first weeks of the semester, we will study Harry Frankfurt’s now classic theory of second order identification and authenticity together with his recent (2002) clarifications (and/or revisions) of his earlier views. Then we will take up assorted alternatives to Frankfurt’s approach, such as Paul Benson’s arguments for a value-saturated account of autonomy, John Christman’s arguments for a historical, value-neutral account, David Velleman’s synthesis of experimental psychology and action theory, Marilyn Friedman’s feminist appropriation of Frankfurt’s approach, and Charles Taylor’s incorporation of embodiment into his account of action.