Trying

By comparison to the vast literature devoted to intention and intentional action, the notion of trying has inspired relatively little discussion. But (we argue) trying is distinct from these notions, and indeed cannot be defined in any obvious way from combinations of desire, belief, intention, or intentional action. Moreover, trying can make a normative difference to the ethical assessment of actions which outruns the contributions of these other notions. And finally, trying can be used to articulate an important notion of something's being under a person's control; it itself has a claim to being under one's control in this important sense; and it may allow us to recover a seed of truth in the hallowed but controversial idea that one can know what one is doing immediately and without observation.

The talk will be based on joint work with Ben Holguín (Princeton/JHU).