Date of Graduation
5-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Philosophy
Advisor/Mentor
Lee, Richard
Committee Member
Donohue, Jenna
Second Committee Member
Thompson, Dale
Third Committee Member
Dowdle, Andrew
Abstract
The issue of motivation is vital to contemporary debates in metaethics. In this paper, I defend the Humean theory of motivation and one version of the Humean theory of reasons. First, I defend Michael Smith's direction of fit argument for the necessity of desire and Neil Sinhababu's inference that the Humean theory of motivation is the best explanation against objections. Then, I defend a telic desire theory of reasons by arguing against belief-based theories and noting problems with various desire-based, or Humean, theories of reasons. I conclude with optimism for the compatibility of moral reasons and the telic desire theory.
Keywords
desire; motivation; Humeanism
Citation
Anderson, B. (2024). Desire, Motivation, and Reasons: A Defense of Humean Theory. Philosophy Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/philuht/6
