Ability’s two dimensions of robustness

Kikkert, Sophie (2022) Ability’s two dimensions of robustness. Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, 122 (3). 348 – 357. ISSN 0066-7374

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Abstract

The actions of able agents are often reliably successful. I argue that their success may be modally robust along two dimensions. The first dimension helps distinguish the exercise of abilities, which requires local control, from lucky success. The second concerns the global availability of acts: agents with the ability to φ can φ across a variety of circumstances. I introduce a framework that captures the two dimensions and their interaction, and show how it bears on a disagreement about the modal force the robustness of ability requires: while local control involves a kind of local necessity, global availability does not.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://academic.oup.com/aristotelian
Additional Information:	© 2022 The Author.
Divisions:	Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General)
Date Deposited:	14 Jan 2022 17:21
Last Modified:	16 Nov 2024 07:42
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/113441

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