The persistent enigma of motivation: a commentary on Nathaniel Barrett's "On the nature and origins of cognition as a form of motivated activity". (April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lyon, Pamela
• Is Part Of: Adaptive behavior. Volume 28:Number 2(2020)
• Page Start: 109
• Page End: 112
• Publication Date: 2020-04
• Subjects: Motivation -- cognition -- self-preservation -- problems with intuition; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Animals -- Adaptation -- Periodicals; Adaptability (Psychology) -- Periodicals; Adaptation, Psychological -- Periodicals; Artificial intelligence -- Periodicals; 591.5
• DOI: 10.1177/1059712319873897
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1741-2633

Abstract

Barrett is to be applauded for attempting to build a case for motivated activity as "reasons that act as causes." Had he stuck to the plan he set out at the beginning of his essay, and assiduously worked on clarifying the very difficult issues involved in this extremely ambitious venture, he would have had an excellent foundation for further development. Unfortunately, he fell into some conceptual and methodological traps that have claimed many. This commentary aims to suggest some ways forward.