Skip to main content
Log in

How to change it: modes of engagement, rationality, and stance voluntarism

  • Published:
Synthese Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We have three goals in this paper. First, we outline an ontology of stance, and explain the role that modes of engagement and styles of reasoning play in the characterization of a stance. Second, we argue that we do enjoy a degree of control over the modes of engagement and styles of reasoning we adopt. Third, we contend that maximizing one’s prospects for change (within the framework of other constraints, e.g., beliefs, one has) also maximizes one’s rationality.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alston W.P. (1989) Epistemic justification: Esays in the theory of knowledge. Cornell University Press, Ithaca

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartley, W. W. (1984). The retreat to commitment (2nd ed.). La Salle: Open Court.

  • Booth A.R. (2007) Can there be epistemic reasons for action?. Grazer Philosophische Studien 73: 162–173

    Google Scholar 

  • da Costa N.C.A., Bueno O. (2001) Paraconsistency: Towards a tentative interpretation. Theoria, 16: 119–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W. E. (Ed.) (2003). Special issue on controlling belief. The Monist 85(3).

  • Kuhn T.S. (1970) Reflection on my critics. In: Lakatos I., Musgrave A. (eds) Criticism and the growth of knowledge. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 231–278

    Google Scholar 

  • Macleod A. (1986) Self-interest, rationality, and equality. In: Garver N., Hare P.H. (eds) Naturalism and rationality. Prometheus, Buffalo, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Popper K.R. (1968) Remarks on the problems of demarcation and of rationality. In: Lakatos I., Musgrave A. (eds) Problems in the philosophy of science. North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp 88–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Ratcliffe, M. J. (2003). Review of Solomon (2003). Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews.

  • Rowbottom D.P. (2005) The empirical stance vs. the critical attitude. South African Journal of Philosophy 24: 200–223

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowbottom D.P. (2006) Kuhn versus Popper on science education: A response to Richard Bailey. Learning for Democracy 2(3): 45–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowbottom D.P. (2008) An alternative account of epistemic reasons for action: In response to Booth. Grazer Philosophische Studien 76: 191–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowbottom, D. P. (forthcoming). Popper’s critical rationalism: A philosophical investigation. London: Routledge.

  • Rowbottom D.P., Bueno O. (2009) Why advocate pancritical rationalism?. In: Parusniková., Cohen R.S. (eds) Rethinking Popper. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 81–89

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Solomon R. (2003) Not passion’s slave: Emotions and choice. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Steup M. (2000) Doxastic voluntarism and epistemic deontology. Acta Analytica 15: 25–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Steup M. (2008) Doxastic freedom. Synthese 161: 375–392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teller P. (2004) What is a stance?. Philosophical Studies 121: 159–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Fraassen B.C. (2002) The empirical stance. Yale University Press, New Haven

    Google Scholar 

  • van Fraassen B.C. (2004) Replies to discussion on the empirical stance. Philosophical Studies 121: 171–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Darrell P. Rowbottom.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rowbottom, D.P., Bueno, O. How to change it: modes of engagement, rationality, and stance voluntarism. Synthese 178, 7–17 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-009-9521-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-009-9521-0

Keywords

Navigation