Decisions, Power and Reason: A Preliminary Formulation

Abstract

The concept of action is combined with a preference-outcome model of 'power' in order to elucidate the conception of one actor getting another to do (or forbear to do) something the second would not otherwise do. The paper thus builds upon the Weberian concept of Power and attempts to elucidate this concept within the framework of the modern analytical phil osophy of action (Danto) The practical syllogism (Von Wright) is invoked as a basic way of explaining actions and forbearances The concept of 'power' is distinguished from the concept of 'influence' (Parsons) and the distinction is used to point to some basic problems in social control.