The Material Theory of Practical Reasoning
Jonathan Dancy · Oxford University Press eBooks · 2018
This chapter lays out distinctions between various forms of practical relevance. Being a reason for or against is only two such forms; enabling a consideration to be a reason, or preventing it from being one, are others, as are attenuating or intensifying a consideration that is already a reason. These distinctions are to be used in mapping particular instances of reasoning. The chapter also considers similar suggestions by Toulmin and Raz and McDowell. It suggests that there is urgent need for more work on this topic, if we are to have any hope of mapping all instances of complex reasoning, such as in the law.