JOURNAL ARTICLE

Regret for the Defeated Directive.

  • Published In: Analytic Philosophy, 2026, v. 67, n. 2. P. 105 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Fives, Allyn 3 of 3

Abstract

In this paper, I argue an authoritative directive can be defeated (i.e., outweighed) by a reason it defeats (i.e., excludes), where it is rational to feel regret for failing to act as the directive demands. This is the case as, first, it is rational to feel regret when one fails to act on a binding reason, and a defeated reason is still binding unless its triggering conditions have been removed; second, an authoritative directive can be defeated by a more weighty reason it excludes if the latter is still binding; and third, there is no general rule preventing a more weighty excluded reason from defeating a directive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Analytic Philosophy. 2026/06, Vol. 67, Issue 2, p105
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Literature and Writing
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:2153-9596
  • DOI:10.1111/phib.12366
  • Accession Number:193398780
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Analytic Philosophy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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