Donald Davidson, Mountains and Mountaineering

In his paper Freedom to Act, 1973 (reprinted in his Actions and Events, OUP, 1980) Davidson explores the question of how, exactly, "attitudes must cause actions if they are to rationalize the action". He introduces the case of a climber who wants to be rid of the weight, and consequent danger, of being attached to her partner; and who believes that letting go of the rope will so rid her. The want and belief unnerve her, and she accidentally lets go of the rope. So although the belief and want cause the action, but they don't seem to rationalise it.

(Thanks to Bill Child for this entry.)