Jones, Derek M.

The Biological Foundations of Action

Jones presents an innovative study into the role of action – as distinct from mere movement – in the natural world. He argues that an organism’s behaviour must always have its roots in some form of need, but that action based on need alone is not agency. ‘Primitive’ (non-intentional) action in humans is discussed as a form of agency common to many organisms – an area of overlap neglected in recent scholarship. This intersectional approach makes an important contribution to current philosophical debate on the nature and origins of agency.