TY - JOUR
T1 - Is there a confidence condition in the concept of intention?
AU - McGuire, John
PY - 2020/7/3
Y1 - 2020/7/3
N2 - The concept of intention is widely thought to involve a confidence condition of some sort, a condition that specifies certain beliefs that one must either have or lack if one intends to do something. Two of the most common formulations of this condition are the following: (i) A intends to X only if A believes that they (probably) will X; and (ii) A intends to X only if A does not believe that they (probably) will not X. A third, much weaker formulation can also be considered: (iii) A intends to X only if A does not believe that it is highly unlikely that they will X. In this article I report on a series of experiments that indicate that ordinary speakers of English do not apply the concepts of intention and belief in accordance with any of the foregoing hypotheses. These experimental results provide empirical evidence against the idea that there is a confidence condition in the concept of intention.
AB - The concept of intention is widely thought to involve a confidence condition of some sort, a condition that specifies certain beliefs that one must either have or lack if one intends to do something. Two of the most common formulations of this condition are the following: (i) A intends to X only if A believes that they (probably) will X; and (ii) A intends to X only if A does not believe that they (probably) will not X. A third, much weaker formulation can also be considered: (iii) A intends to X only if A does not believe that it is highly unlikely that they will X. In this article I report on a series of experiments that indicate that ordinary speakers of English do not apply the concepts of intention and belief in accordance with any of the foregoing hypotheses. These experimental results provide empirical evidence against the idea that there is a confidence condition in the concept of intention.
KW - Intention
KW - belief
KW - confidence condition
KW - experimental philosophy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85083672747&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09515089.2020.1751101
DO - 10.1080/09515089.2020.1751101
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85083672747
VL - 33
SP - 705
EP - 730
JO - Philosophical Psychology
JF - Philosophical Psychology
SN - 0951-5089
IS - 5
ER -