The Metaphysics of Action

David-Hillel Ruben is Professor Emeritus at the University of London, UK, and Honorary Research Fellow at Birkbeck, University of London. Having previously worked at the University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, Essex University, City University, London School of Economics, his past publications include The Metaphysics of the Social World (1985), Explaining Explanation (1992 and 2012) and Action and Its Explanation (2003).

1. Introduction2. The Physical Action Theory of Trying3. Trying in Some Way4. A Conditional Theory of Trying5. Causing and Doing6. Doing and Causing7. Causing in Some Way8. Regress Issues and Action Scepticism.     

"The Metaphysics of Action is a treasure-trove of puzzles, examples, and distinctions concerning action and its individuation. ... Ruben's work is thorough, meticulous, and refreshing." (Constantine Sandis, The Philosophical Quarterly, September 24, 2019)
"It is a deep dive into philosophical linguistic analysis, in which he scrutinizes grammar and usage to clarify thinking about trying, action, and causation. Ruben devotes a great deal of space to discussion and critique of competing accounts, in the process ranging widely over the analytic scholarship on action. ... Summing Up: Optional. Graduate students, researchers, faculty." (D. A. Forbes, Choice, Vol. 56 (11), July, 2019)


"What are actions? In this densely-argued and thought-provoking work, David-Hillel Ruben sets out to answer this question, by way of an examination of some of the ideas that have gained currency over the last 50 years or so of philosophy of action ... . This is a book for serious aficionados of philosophy of action." (Helen Steward, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, ndpr.nd.edu, December, 18, 2018)