NDLI: On an alleged counter-example to causal decision theory

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Cantwell, John
Copyright Year	2009
Abstract	An alleged counterexample to causal decision theory, put forward by Andy Egan, is studied in some detail. It is argued that Egan rejects the evaluation of causal decision theory on the basis of a description of the decision situation that is different from—indeed inconsistent with—the description on which causal decision theory makes its evaluation. So the example is not a counterexample to causal decision theory. Nevertheless, the example shows that causal decision theory can recommend unratifiable acts (acts that once decided upon appear sub-optimal) which presents a problem in the dynamics of intentions (as a decision is the forming of an intention to act). It is argued that we can defuse this problem if we hold that decision theory is a theory of rational decision making rather than a theory of rational acts. It is shown how decisions can have epistemic side-effects that are not mediated by the act and that there are cases where one can only bring oneself to perform the best act by updating by imaging rather than by conditioning. This provides a pragmatic argument for updating by imaging rather than by conditioning in these cases.
Starting Page	127
Ending Page	152
Page Count	26
File Format	PDF
ISSN	00397857
Journal	Synthese
Volume Number	173
Issue Number	2
e-ISSN	15730964
Language	English
Publisher	Springer Netherlands
Publisher Date	2009-11-21
Publisher Place	Dordrecht
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Causal decision theory Counter example Imaging Metaphysics Philosophy of Language Logic Epistemology Computer Science Philosophy of Science
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Philosophy Social Sciences

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