Essays in theoretical psychology

Abstract

This slender but densely written volume treats a variety of related topics central to philosophical psychology of the past decade. Its coherence is provided by Vollmer's persistent concern with establishing intentions as sui generis psychological events, essential to a fully developed science of psychology. Thus, Vollmer attempts to demonstrate the means by which intentions may be viewed as causal, to delineate the kinds of topics for which intentions serve as the most adequate explanations, to defend intentional explanation against prevalent criticisms, and to protect intentional descriptions against physiological reductionism. Although psychological realists will find many useful arguments in the volume, constructionists and critical theorists will find its grounding in an implicit individualism to be problematic. For advanced undergraduates and above.