Choosing Among Projects of Action

Our purpose here is the analysis of the process by which an actor in daily life determines his future conduct after having considered several possible ways of action. The term “action” shall designate human conduct as an ongoing process which is devised by the actor in advance, that is, which is based upon a preconceived project. The term “act” shall designate the outcome of this ongoing process, that is, the accomplished action. Action, thus, may be covert — for example, the attempt to solve a scientific problem mentally — or overt, gearing into the outer world. But not all projected conduct is also purposive conduct. In order to transform the forethought into an aim and the project into a purpose, the intention to carry out the project, to bring about the projected state of affairs, must supervene. This distinction is of importance with respect to covert actions. My phantasying may be a projected one, and therefore, an action within the meaning of our definition. But it remains mere fancying unless what W. James called the voluntative “fiat” supervenes and transforms my project into a purpose. If a covert action is more than “mere fancying,” namely purposive, it shall be called for the sake of convenience a “performance.”