In-order-to motive

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This term is used by Alfred Schütz to point out the different kinds of motives. According to Schütz, we can distinguish a 'because motive' from an in-order-to motive. The latter refers to the capacity of individuals to act as they like, under the basis of certain assumptions (Campbell, 1981). 'Schutz's distinctions here are relevant to contemporary debates about whether freedom is compatible with determinism since from the perspective of the lived in-order-to motive, one experiences oneself as free and morally responsible' (Barber, 2010). Thus in contrast to the deterministic because motive, the 'in-order-to' motive allows freedom of action and corresponds in this way with indeterminism. Besides refer ‘because motives’ straightforward to past events as cause for action and ‘in-order-to motives’ also fantasize about projected events in the past (Campbell, 1981).

These assumptions need some vision of the best way to reach certain future goals to be accomplished (Campbell, 1981); therefore this ‘in-order-to motive’ concept is a goal-oriented way of acting. To give an example: When you’re going to the lectures of a certain course to prepare yourself for the examination and not because the conditions were beneficial.

According to Schutz (Werlen, personal communication, 28 September 2010) we only have the in-order-to motives in sight regarding our actions. The ‘because motives’ give no access to the subjective meaning (it took place in the past). In other words when acting as a free human actor we are consciously trying to achieve a certain goal. For the ‘because motives’ we might say, that they are valid for unconscious actions.

References

Barber, M. (2010). Alfred Schütz. in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from [1] at 19 Oktober 2010.

Campbell, T. (1981). Seven theories of Human Society. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Werlen, B. (2010). Personal communication, 28 September 2010.

Contributor

Published Lisanne Dols (0822701) & Lorenzo Goudsmits (0827991)

Edited by Renate van Haaren,