Dummett on Reasons to Act and Bringing About the Past

Garrett, Brian; Joven Joaquin, Jeremiah

Cultural advice

The Australian National University acknowledges, celebrates and pays our respects to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people of the Canberra region and to all First Nations Australians on whose traditional lands we meet and work, and whose cultures are among the oldest continuing cultures in human history.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that ANU Library collections may include images, names, voices, and other representations of deceased persons.

Material in the collection may contain terms, language or views that reflect the period in which the item was created and may be considered inappropriate today.

Dummett on Reasons to Act and Bringing About the Past

Date

2022

Authors

Garrett, Brian

Joven Joaquin, Jeremiah

Abstract

My intention in this discussion is to outline and criticise some of the main ideas in Michael Dummett’s classic article “Bringing about the Past”. From Dummett’s remarks we can (I think) reconstruct two sceptical arguments designed to show that it can never be rational to attempt to bring about past events. Dummett is critical of both arguments. Though I am happy with Dummett’s reply to the first sceptical argument, I disagree with his reply to the second.