Volume 151, Number 1, 79-86, DOI: 10.1007/s11098-009-9422-6

Reasons, impossibility and efficient steps: reply to Heuer

Bart Streumer

From the issue entitled "with SI: CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF ‘ASSERTION’, GUEST-EDITED BY ALEJANDRO PÉREZ CARBALLO AND PAOLO SANTORIO"

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Abstract

Ulrike Heuer argues that there can be a reason for a person to perform an action that this person cannot perform, as long as this person can take efficient steps towards performing this action. In this reply, I first argue that Heuer’s examples fail to undermine my claim that there cannot be a reason for a person to perform an action if it is impossible that this person will perform this action. I then argue that, on a plausible interpretation of what ‘efficient steps’ are, Heuer’s claim is consistent with my claim. I end by showing that Heuer fails to undermine the arguments I gave for my claim.

Keywords  Reasons for action - Impossibility

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