Time in Action: The Temporal Structure of Rational Agency and Practical Thought

This book explores the role of time in rational agency and practical reasoning, discussing the temporal structure of action and agency, rational deliberation, and failures of rationality. It will be of interest to advanced students and researchers in philosophy of time, metaphysics of action, action theory, practical reasoning, ethical theory, moral psychology, and rational justification.

Format: Hardback
Length: 290 pages
Publication date: 25 March 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book delves into the intricate relationship between time and rational agency, as well as practical reasoning. Agents, being finite and often faced with severe time constraints, navigate a world where actions take time to unfold. While time is an essential component of our experience of agency, it presents both a theoretical and practical challenge to understand how it shapes rational agency and practical thought.

The essays in this book are organized into three distinct parts. Part I explores the temporal structure of action and agency from metaphysical and metaethical perspectives. Part II focuses on the temporal structure of rational deliberation, drawing from the perspectives of action theory and theories of practical reasoning. Part III examines the temporal aspects of failures of rationality.

When taken together, these essays provide a comprehensive exploration of the temporality of agency, aligning with our subjective sense of finitude and offering insights into rational agency both in time and across time. This book will appeal to advanced students and researchers engaged in the philosophy of time, metaphysics of action, action theory, practical reasoning, ethical theory, moral psychology, and rational justification.

The first part, "The Temporal Structure of Action and Agency," examines the metaphysical and metaethical dimensions of time in the context of action and agency. Contributors explore the nature of time, its relation to agency, and the ethical implications of temporal constraints. They discuss various theories of time, including process philosophy, relationalism, and temporal realism, and analyze how they shape our understanding of action and agency.

In the second part, "The Temporal Structure of Rational Deliberation," the focus shifts to the temporal aspects of rational deliberation. Contributors examine how time influences the process of rational decision-making, the factors that contribute to temporal biases, and the strategies individuals can employ to mitigate these biases. They explore the role of temporal imagination, temporal discounting, and temporal construal in rational deliberation and discuss their implications for practical reasoning and moral decision-making.

The third part, "The Temporal Aspects of Failures of Rationality," explores the temporal dimensions of irrationality and failures of rationality. Contributors examine the causes and consequences of irrational behavior, including cognitive biases, emotional factors, and social influences. They discuss the role of time in the development and persistence of irrational beliefs and behaviors and explore the strategies individuals can employ to overcome irrationality and improve their rationality.

Overall, "Time in Action" offers a rich and comprehensive exploration of the role of time in rational agency and practical reasoning. By bringing together scholars from various disciplines, the book sheds new light on our understanding of the temporality of agency and provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities that arise in the context of finite time and limited resources.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367201586