Abstract
This paper seeks a better understanding of the elements of practical
reasoning: premises and conclusion. It argues that the premises
of practical reasoning do not normally include statements such as
‘I want to j’; that the reasoning in practical reasoning is the same
as in theoretical reasoning and that what makes it practical is, first,
that the point of the relevant reasoning is given by the goal that the
reasoner seeks to realize by means of that reasoning and the subsequent
action; second, that the premises of such reasoning show
the goodness of the action to be undertaken; third, that the conclusions
of such reasoning may be actions or decisions, that can be
accompanied by expressions of intention, either in action, or for
the future; and that these are justified, and might be contradicted,
in ways that are not only peculiar to them (i.e. in ways that diverge
from those found in theoretical reasoning), but are distinctively
practical, in that they involve reference to reasons for acting and to
expressions of intention, respectively.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 355 - 373 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| Journal | RATIO |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2010 |