Friday, March 24, 2017

Humean Nature

My book defending the Humean Theory of Motivation is published! Thanks to everyone who helped, including the editorial staff at Oxford University Press, my three referees, and colleague / ex-roommate / friend Ben Blumson, who set up a reading group on the manuscript.

This passage from the end of Chapter 1 discusses and exhibits the style of the book:

"My writing is sometimes colorful. I hope this never reduces clarity, but instead helps you more quickly see what I mean. I have a lot to tell you, and sometimes an unusual style helps me say it in fewer words. After working on the Humean Theory for sixteen years, I have some of the feelings that it would have if theories had feelings. Expressing how I feel may help you understand how the Humean Theory explains phenomena and relates to other theories. Maybe robots or angels would understand everything faster in dry prose. But this book is written for and about humble descendants of apes, like me."