Hume and the debate on "motivating reasons"

Constantine Sandis

pp. 142-154

in: Charles R. Pigden (ed), Hume on motivation and virtue, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2009

Abstract

This essay offers a new interpretation of Hume's account of motivation before relating it to certain disputes in modern moral psychology. The essay is divided into three parts. First, I lay down some general distinctions in the so-called theory of motivation (TOM), introducing two related but distinct ongoing debates. Next, in the middle and largest parts of the essay, I focus on what Hume has to say on these matters, concluding that the standard map of available positions leaves no space for his view, as it rejects an assumption shared by all concerned. Finally, I demonstrate how the disputes most central to the debates we began with evaporate once we follow Hume in rejecting this shared assumption, taking this to count in his favour.

Cited authors

Hume David