Agent Causality

Who - or what - is an agent? How - in virtue of what - does an agent do things, or refrain from doing them? In this attempt to understand the concept of agent causality, Vollmer proposes that persons are in control of their actions in virtue of reflective consciousness, consisting of a primary, intrinsic, nonobservational awareness of one's own activity, and a capacity to form second-order thoughts about such activity. According to traditional action theory, only behaviour that an agent is aware of performing (under some description) counts as action. In Vollmer's view, however, reflective consciousness plays a more important role than just determining what someone is doing, or under what description the action is intentional. Reflective consciousness is what gives you control and renders you free. Reflective consciousness is what you are. Readership: Professionals and students interested in theoretical psychology and the theory of action.

1. Problems with the Common Sense Theory of Action.
2. Frankfurt's Solution. 3. Theories of Agent Causality.
4. Persons. 5. Reflective Consciousness. 6.
Empirical Research. 7. The EPI-Phenomenalist Problem. 8.
Is the Self a Social Construction? 9. Darkness, Madness and
Childhood. 10. Overall Summary and Conclusions. References. Name
Index. Subject Index.