Alfred Mele
Alfred Remen Mele [ˈælfɹɪd ˈmi: li] (born May 22, 1951 ) is an American philosopher .
He is the William H. and Lucyle T. Werkmeister Professor of Philosophy at Florida State University . His fields of work are action theory , philosophy of mind , metaphysics and ancient philosophy . He has developed his own position on free will , which he calls "agnostic autonomism".
Autonomy and free will
Mele understands free will as autonomy and takes the view that people can dispose of it. To this end, he developed two concepts of autonomy - a compatibilistic one that also works in a deterministic worldview, and a “modest libertarian one ” that is based on an indeterministic worldview. Mele argues that one does not have to choose between compatibilism and incompatibility in order to be able to affirm autonomy, and therefore suggests an agnostic attitude.
In “Effective Intentions: The Power of Conscious Will” (2009) he analyzes the arguments against free will based on empirical results from the neurosciences with the final conclusion that it is not threatened by any of the available findings.
In “Free Will and Luck” (2006) he defends his conception of free will against the relevant theoretical arguments.
Works
Monographs
- Effective Intentions: The Power of Conscious Will . Oxford University Press (OUP), New York 2009 ISBN 978-0-19-538426-0
- Free Will and Luck . OUP 2008 ISBN 978-0-19-537439-1
- Motivation and Agency . OUP 2008 ISBN 978-0-19-518952-0
- Self-Deception Unmasked . Princeton University Press , Princeton 2001 ISBN 978-0-691-05745-3
- Autonomous Agents: From Self-Control to Autonomy . OUP 1995 ISBN 978-0-19-509454-1
- Springs of Action: Understanding Intentional Behavior . OUP 1992 ISBN 978-0-19-507114-6
- Irrationality: An Essay on Akrasia, Self-Deception, and Self-Control . OUP 1987 ISBN 978-0-19-508001-8
Editing
- Free Will and Consciousness: How Might They Work? (Ed. with Roy Baumeister and Kathleen Vohs ). OUP 2010 ISBN 978-0-19-538976-0
Web links
- Literature by and about Alfred Mele in the catalog of the German National Library
- Website at Florida State University ( Engl. )
- Original text "Agnostic Autonomism" on Ted Honderich's "Determinism and Freedom Philosophy Website"
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Department of Philosophy: Alfred Mele. Florida State University, accessed May 4, 2020 .
- ^ A b Alfred Mele: Agnostic Autonomism. Retrieved November 29, 2011 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Mele, Alfred |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Mele, Alfred Remen (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American philosopher |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 22, 1951 |