Asking whether a thermostat is intentions intrinsically, or whether we only ascribe intentions to them, is what I meant by asking about the phenomenological status of these intentions. If I ask whether Jim really has intentions, or whether Jim is a zombie whom I am merely ascribing intentions to, I’m really asking (I think) whether Jim has free will. If morality is just about doing the right thing, then we don’t need to ask that.
The free will question may still be interesting and important; but I’d like to separate it from the question of what actions are moral. I want there to be only one fundamental moral question: What is the right set of values? The “morality requires free will” viewpoint introduces an entirely different question, which I think should be its own thing.
I think I’m on the same page with you re kant. Tell me if I’ve understood the other ideas you’re advancing in this post:
The problem of understanding morality just is the problem of understanding which actions are moral.
An action is moral only if (but not if and only if) it was intended to be moral.
Did I miss the point?
Can you spell out what you mean by this? Are intentions something a thermostat has intrinsically, or something that I can ascribe to it?
Asking whether a thermostat is intentions intrinsically, or whether we only ascribe intentions to them, is what I meant by asking about the phenomenological status of these intentions. If I ask whether Jim really has intentions, or whether Jim is a zombie whom I am merely ascribing intentions to, I’m really asking (I think) whether Jim has free will. If morality is just about doing the right thing, then we don’t need to ask that.
The free will question may still be interesting and important; but I’d like to separate it from the question of what actions are moral. I want there to be only one fundamental moral question: What is the right set of values? The “morality requires free will” viewpoint introduces an entirely different question, which I think should be its own thing.