Michael E. Bratman develops a planning theory of intention. Intentions are treated as elements of partial plans of action. These plans play basic roles in practical reasoning, roles that support the organization of our activities over time and socially. Bratman explores the impact of this approach on a wide range of issues, including the relation between intention and intentional action, and the distinction between intended and expected effects of what one intends.

The intuitive concept of consequence, the notion that one sentence follows logically from another, has driven the study of logic for more than two thousand years. But logic has moved forward dramatically in the past century - largely as a result of bringing mathematics to bear on the field. The infusion of mathematically precise definitions and techniques has turned a field dominated by homely admonitions into one characterized by illuminating theorems. The aim of this book is to correct a common misunderstanding of one of the most widely used techniques of mathematical logic. Central to the...

An attempt to develop a theory of knowledge and philosophy of mind using ideas derived from the mathematical theory of communication developed by Claude Shannon. Information is seen as an objective commodity defined by the dependency relations between distinct events. Knowledge is then analyzed as information caused belief. Perception is the delivery of information caused belief. Perception is the delivery of information in analog form (experience) for conceptual utilization by cognitive mechanisms. The final chapters attempt to develop a theory of meaning (or belief content) by viewing...

What do you see when you look at your face in the mirror? asks J. David Velleman in introducing his philosophical theory of action. He takes this simple act of self-scrutiny as a model for the reflective reasoning of rational agents: our efforts to understand our existence and conduct are aided by our efforts to make it intelligible. Reflective reasoning, Velleman argues, constitutes practical reasoning. By applying this conception, "Practical Reflection" develops philosophical accounts of intention, free will, and the foundation of morals. This new edition of "Practical Reflection" contains...