Agent Causality

We act for reasons. But, it is sometimes claimed, the mental states and events that make up reasons, are not sufficient conditions of actions. Reasons never make actions happen. We— as agents (persons, selves, subjects) — make our actions happen. Actions are done by us, not elicited by reasons. The present essay is an attempt to understand this concept of agent causality. Who —~ or what — is an agent— And how — in virtue of what — does an agent do things, or refrain from doing them? The fir...