Free Will and Reactive Attitudes: Perspectives on P.F. Strawson's 'Freedom and Resentment' / Edition 1

by Paul Russell, Michael McKenna

Overview

The philosophical debate about free will and responsibility has been of great importance throughout the history of philosophy. In modern times this debate has received an enormous resurgence of interest and the contribution in 1962 by P.F. Strawson with the publication of his essay "Freedom and Resentment" has generated a wide range of discussion and criticism in the philosophical community and beyond. The debate is of central importance to recent developments in the free will literature and has shaped the way contemporary philosophers now approach the problem. This volume brings together a focused selection of the major contributions and reactions to the free will and responsibility debate inspired by Strawson's contribution. McKenna and Russell also provide a comprehensive overview of the debate. This book will be of great value to scholars of Strawson and those interested in the free will debate more generally.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780754640592
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	12/16/2008
Pages:	340
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Michael McKenna is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Florida State University, USA.

Paul Russell is Professor in the Department of Philosophy, University of British Columbia, Canada.

Table of Contents

Introduction, MichaelMcKenna, PaulRussell; Chapter 1 Freedom and Resentment, PeterStrawson; Chapter 2 Free Will and Rationality, A.J.Ayer; Chapter 3 Accountability (II), JonathanBennett; Chapter 4 The Importance of Free Will, SusanWolf; Chapter 5 On “Freedom and Resentment”, GalenStrawson; Chapter 6 Responsibility and the Limits of Evil, GaryWatson; Chapter 7 Strawson’s Way of Naturalizing Responsibility, PaulRussell; Chapter 8 Emotions, Expectations and Responsibility, R. JayWallace; Chapter 9 Blaming, Understanding and Justification, KevinMagill; Chapter 10 The Limits of Evil and the Role of Moral Address, MichaelMcKenna; Chapter 11 Revising the Reactive Attitudes, DerkPereboom; Chapter 12 Free Will, SaulSmilansky; Chapter 13 Thinking with your Hypothalamus, DavidZimmerman; Chapter 14 Doing without Desert, ErinKelly; Chapter 15 Responsibility and the Aims of Theory, ManuelVargas;

Editorial Reviews

'This is an outstanding collection. P.F. Strawson's "Freedom and Resentment" is one of the most important and influential papers in the debates about free will and moral responsibility. It is thus very helpful to haveStrawson's paper published together with an excellent set of papers that treat central issues in it. The editors have done a superb job of bringing this material together, and they have provided a clear and helpful introductory essay. This will become an essential book for both scholars and students.' John M. Fischer, University of California Riverside, USA 'In addition to a considerable amount of new material, this collection of essays contains some of the most important articles published in reaction to P. F. Strawson's renowned paper 'Freedom and Resentment'... a must for all readers of Strawson, but also for those who want a reliable guide to study 'Freedom and Resentment' and enhance their understanding of the significance of our reactive attitudes and the relationship between emotions and morality in general.' Ethical Perspectives

From the Publisher