Natural Agency by John Bishop

Natural Agency by John Bishop

From a moral point of view we think of ourselves as capable of responsible actions. From a scientific point of view we think of ourselves as animals whose behaviour, however highly evolved, conforms to natural scientific laws. Natural Agency argues that these different perspectives can be reconciled, despite the scepticism of many philosophers who have argued that 'free will' is impossible under 'scientific determinism'. This scepticism is best overcome, according to the author, by defending a causal theory of action, that is by establishing that actions are constituted by behavourial events with the appropriate kind of mental causal history. He sets out a rich and subtle argument for such a theory and defends it against its critics. Thus the book demonstrates the importance of philosophical work in action theory for the central metaphysical task of understanding our place in nature.

"Bishop presents his theory in great detailHis discussion is always rich, subtle, insightful, helpfully repetitive (he often stops to remind us just what stage his inquiry has reached), well written (technical without being overwhelming and with a minimum of non-English formulae), well informed (his references to the literature, some of it very recent, are plentiful and apt), and fair-minded (for a compatibilist, he is admirably sensitive to incompatibilist concerns). In addition, the book is attractively and carefully produced...In sum, it is a book very much worth reading." The Philosophical Review
"Overall the views that Bishop advances are plausible, and the supporting argumentation is both very circumspect and very forceful. The organization is also excellent, and the clear and eloquent style of writing makes the book a pleasure to read. It is, in my opinion, the best book in this area." Review of Metaphysics
"Bishop takes account of recent work on free agency and causality, makes use of it for his own purposes, but goes beyond it to a distinctive view of his own which is bound to stir up interest and show the way toward new developments." Michael Slote, University of Maryland
"This is a considerable achievement. Rigorous argument abounds, and illuminating discussions and lucid presentations of what has often seemed obscure material; and it is all written with a liveliness that captures and keeps one's attention. This is a book that displays mastery of the whole field of inquiry..." Graeme Marshall, Dialogue

John Bishop is the Senior Pastor and Co-Founder of Living Hope Church, one of America's fastest-growing congregations with locations in the northwest, Hawaii, and New Zealand. He graduated from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, with a Master of Arts in Evangelism and Transformational Leadership. He and his wife, Michelle, have three children, David, Katie, and Hannah, and they live in Vancouver, Washington.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780521063975
ISBN 10	0521063973
Title	Natural Agency
Author	John Bishop
Series	Cambridge Studies In Philosophy
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
Year published	2008-06-05
Number of pages	224
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.