Autonomous Agents
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This book addresses two related topics: self-control and individual autonomy. In approaching these issues, Mele develops a conception of an ideally self-controlled person, and argues that even such a person can fall short of personal autonomy. He then examines what needs to be added to such a person to yield an autonomous agent and develops two overlapping answers: one for compatibilist believers in human autonomy and one for incompatibilists. While remaining neutral between those who hold that autonomy is compatible with determinism and those who deny this, Mele shows that belief that there are autonomous agents is better grounded than belief that there are not.Reviews
"Mele's presentation is philosophically rigorous yet accessible to the non-philosopher. The author demonstrates an impressive grasp of historical and contemporary aspects of the freewill debate and builds upon his earlier work."--Choice
"Mele is a clear and careful writer. His book challenges the reader to reflect seriously on the meaning of self-control and autonomy....Mele has hit his mark in this well-argued, engaging, and thought-provoking book."--The Review of Metaphysics
"...this is a great book. It is rich in arguments, replete with useful examples, and informed by the literature in philosophy and psychology. It is not always easy going, but one's efforts are rewarded. I highly recommend it."--Ethics
About the Author(s)
Alfred R. Mele, William H. and Lucyle T. Werkmeister Professor of Philosophy, Florida State University
