Talking to Our Selves: Reflection, Skepticism, and Agency

John Doris (Washington University in St. Louis)

Abstract:

In philosophy, morally responsible agency is often understood as reflective activity – concerted, self-conscious mentation, predicated on accurate self-awareness.  In psychology, quantities of research on automatic processing problematize this understanding: much morally significant behavior is not consciously regulated, and much of it is informed by inaccurate self-awareness.  A psychologically lifelike conception of agency will therefore de-emphasize reflection; instead, the exercise of agency will be found in the collaborative social dialog by which human beings structure their lives together.