Beyond Anscombe and Davidson: A Buberian Contribution to Contemporary Philosophy of Action, Conclusion and Coda

In the Coda, we explore Buber’s potential contribution to the contemporary field of philosophy of action. Section “(1)” provides an overview of the field’s historical development and presents its current structure as a division between followers of Davidson’s causal perspective and Anscombe’s teleological, Aristotelian approach. Sections “(2)–(4)” unveil Buber’s implicit theory of action within the context of three key debates between Davidson and Anscombe: the relation between actions and their effects, the distinction between actions and events, and the notions of power and causality. In each case, we observe how Buber’s position aligns with an Anscombian critique of Davidson while also transcending Anscombe’s viewpoint. Section “(5)” concludes by highlighting the superiority of Buber’s philosophy of action in realizing the field’s driving force and justifying its raison d’être—the underscoring of the uniqueness of humans.