On deciding

Lars Hertzberg

pp. 233-247

in: Juha Manninen, Raimo Tuomela (eds), Essays on explanation and understanding, Berlin, Springer, 1976

Abstract

How are decisions made? A long-standing tradition in philosophy has it that we arrive at decisions through a process of reasoning called deliberation. If we deliberate correctly, we will reach the wisest decision possible. In Explanation and Understanding, G. H. von Wright puts forward the view that human actions can be explained by appealing to so-called practical inferences. In an indirect way, his view is a continuation of that philosophical tradition.¹

Cited authors

Von Wright Georg Henrik