Decision and foreknowledge

Journal article


Gallow, J. Dmitri. (2022). Decision and foreknowledge. Noûs. pp. 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1111/nous.12443
AuthorsGallow, J. Dmitri
Abstract

My topic is how to make decisions when you possess foreknowledge of the consequences of your choice. Many have thought that these kinds of decisions pose a distinctive and novel problem for causal decision theory (CDT). My thesis is that foreknowledge poses no new problems for CDT. Some of the purported problems are not problems. Others are problems, but they are not problems for CDT. Rather, they are problems for our theories of subjunctive supposition. Others are problems, but they are not new problems. They are old problems transposed into a new key. Nonetheless, decisions made with foreknowledge illustrate important lessons about the instrumental value of our choices. Once we've appreciated these lessons, we are left with a version of CDT which faces no novel threats from foreknowledge.

Year2022
JournalNoûs
Journal citationpp. 1-29
PublisherWiley Periodicals
ISSN1468-0068
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1111/nous.12443
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85143976543
Open accessPublished as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
Page range1-29
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Open
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online05 Dec 2022
Publication process dates
Deposited27 Mar 2023
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8yy50/decision-and-foreknowledge

Download files


Publisher's version
OA_Gallow_2022_Decision_and_foreknowledge.pdf
License: CC BY 4.0
File access level: Open

  • 52
    total views
  • 32
    total downloads
  • 0
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Local and global deference
Gallow, J. Dmitri. (2023). Local and global deference. Philosophical Studies. 180, p. 2753–2770. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11098-023-02003-8
Two-dimensional de se Chance Deference
Gallow, J. Dmitri. (2023). Two-dimensional de se Chance Deference. Australasian Journal of Philosophy. pp. 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/00048402.2023.2169945
How to trace a causal process
Gallow, Jeffrey Dmitri. (2022). How to trace a causal process. Philosophical Perspectives. 36(1), pp. 95-117. https://doi.org/10.1111/phpe.12174
Causal counterfactuals without miracles or backtracking
Gallow, J. Dmitri. (2022). Causal counterfactuals without miracles or backtracking. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research. pp. 1-31. https://doi.org/10.1111/phpr.12925
Indifference to anti-humean chances
Gallow, J. Dmitri. (2022). Indifference to anti-humean chances. Canadian Journal of Philosophy. 52(5), pp. 485-501. https://doi.org/10.1017/can.2022.36
Escaping the cycle
Gallow, Jeffrey Dmitri. (2022). Escaping the cycle. Mind. 131(521), pp. 99-127. https://doi.org/10.1093/mind/fzab047
A model-invariant theory of causation
Gallow, J. Dmitri. (2021). A model-invariant theory of causation. The Philosophical Review. 130(1), pp. 45-96. https://doi.org/10.1215/00318108-8699682
A subjectivist's guide to deterministic chance
Gallow, J. Dmitri. (2021). A subjectivist's guide to deterministic chance. Synthese. 198, pp. 4339-4372. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-019-02346-y
The causal decision theorist’s guide to managing the news
J. Dmitri Gallow. (2020). The causal decision theorist’s guide to managing the news. The Journal of Philosophy. 117(3), pp. 117-149. https://doi.org/10.5840/jphil202011739
The causal decision theorist's guide to managing the news
Gallow, J. Dmitri. (2020). The causal decision theorist's guide to managing the news. Journal of Philosophy. 117(3), pp. 117-149. https://doi.org/10.5840/jphil202011739