Date of Award
May 2023
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Philosophy
First Advisor
Nataliya Palatnik
Committee Members
Joshua Spencer, Bill Bristow
Keywords
action, agency, Anscombe, mistake, practical knowledge
Abstract
A performative mistake is a mistake an agent makes when she fails to realize what she intends to bring about in the world. In this paper, I argue that performative mistakes create a puzzle for anyone who thinks that practical knowledge is required to act intentionally; it is not clear whether someone can continue an action she was doing after she commits a performative mistake. Against Adrian Haddock’s view of performative mistakes, I argue that such mistakes affect practical knowledge and therefore, cause an action process to cease. By emphasizing the deep relation between practical knowledge and practical reasoning, I show that an agent can continue an action after a performative mistake if she properly guides herself to the particular circumstances which make her previous practical reasoning applicable again.
Recommended Citation
LeMoine, Clyde Ulysses, "Performative Mistakes and Practical Knowledge" (2023). Theses and Dissertations. 3179.
https://dc.uwm.edu/etd/3179