The faded agent: the agents role in action explanations and how practical reasoning may help in its understanding

• Grant number: 11/21030-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: November 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Philosophy
• Principal Investigator: Osvaldo Frota Pessoa Junior
• Grantee: Beatriz Sorrentino Marques
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 14/02558-1 - Conscious intentions and the conception of agent, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

The following research intends to investigate a well known problem to action theorists: the relation between the agent and his mental states, commonly related to the action's cause by the theory of action. This relationship presents itself in an enigmatic way because, in general, it does not mention the agent, only its internal states as being responsible for causing action. At the same time, these states are treated as being independent from the agent suggesting that he does not begin his action, at least not in the way common sense intuitively conceives human action. Recent articles (Mele 2003; Fischer 1982) show that investigation of this issue leads to questions about practical reasoning or, even, to the guidance control agents have over their actions. Therefore, this research proposes an investigation of the disappearing agent problem aiming at finding out if the common sense conception of agents can be a part of action explanations and at trying to relate the subject of action to his action by means of practical reasoning. Also, we propose to investigate how the Theory of Action understands practical reasoning.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MARQUES, BEATRIZ SORRENTINO; PESSOA, JR., OSVALDO FROTA. Presuppositions about the role of consciousness in the agent causation conception of agents and the problem of the disappearing agent. COGNITIVE SYSTEMS RESEARCH, v. 43, p. 45-52, JUN 2017. (14/02558-1, 11/21030-0)

MARQUES, BEATRIZ SORRENTINO. Issues for Lowe's Dualist View on Agents. FILOSOFIA UNISINOS, v. 17, n. 3, p. 340-345, SEP-DEC 2016. (14/02558-1, 11/21030-0)

MARQUES, BEATRIZ SORRENTINO; PESSOA, OSVALDO FROTA, JR.. Presuppositions about the role of consciousness in the agent causation conception of agents and the problem of the disappearing agent. COGNITIVE SYSTEMS RESEARCH, v. 43, p. 8-pg., 2017-06-01. (14/02558-1, 11/21030-0)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

MARQUES, Beatriz Sorrentino. The disappearing agente: the role of the agente in the explanation of actions. 2015. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH/SBD) São Paulo.