Abstract

The subject of this chapter is causal powers—or, as some philosophers today like to call them, “dispositions.” Powers (or dispositions) are roughly just the capabilities and capacities that things have to behave in certain ways. For instance, I can raise my arm, think through complex issues, make choices, and so on. These are all things I have the power to do, and such powers are what the scholastics call active powers, or powers to act.