David Velleman’s concept of epistemic freedom provides a way to agree with both CronoDAS and Richard here. We can “predict” our acts in the broad sense of forming correct expectations. But we also know that we could form the opposite expectation in many cases and be correct in that case too. Last time I bought ice cream, I expected to say “chocolate” to the person behind the counter, and I did. But I could have expected to say “raspberry” instead, and if I had, that’s what I’d have said.
Some prophecies are self-fulfilling. When I said “I’ll have chocolate”, that not only correctly predicted the outcome, but caused it as well. Self-fulfilling prophecies often allow multiple alternative prophecies, any of which will be fulfilled if made. Velleman says that intentions for immediate actions are typically self-fulfilling prophecies. There may be more to intention than that, but there is at least this much: that intentions do involve expectation, and the intention itself (and/or closely associated psychological processes) tends to bring it about.
David Velleman’s concept of epistemic freedom provides a way to agree with both CronoDAS and Richard here. We can “predict” our acts in the broad sense of forming correct expectations. But we also know that we could form the opposite expectation in many cases and be correct in that case too. Last time I bought ice cream, I expected to say “chocolate” to the person behind the counter, and I did. But I could have expected to say “raspberry” instead, and if I had, that’s what I’d have said.
Some prophecies are self-fulfilling. When I said “I’ll have chocolate”, that not only correctly predicted the outcome, but caused it as well. Self-fulfilling prophecies often allow multiple alternative prophecies, any of which will be fulfilled if made. Velleman says that intentions for immediate actions are typically self-fulfilling prophecies. There may be more to intention than that, but there is at least this much: that intentions do involve expectation, and the intention itself (and/or closely associated psychological processes) tends to bring it about.