Performance monitoring reconciles intentional reasons with neural causes.

Endorsing the conceptual clarity of Nachev and Hacker, we offer an alternative perspective on intention and action that focuses on consequences instead of the antecedents of action. We propose that given many-to-one mapping of brain states to body movements, the brain processes that monitor action consequences offer a reconciliation of intentional reasons with neural causes. This proposal offers an enriched compatibilist position providing useful leverage on questions of responsibility and culpability.

Measurement of the extraocular spike potential during saccade countermanding.

The stop signal task is used to investigate motor inhibition. Several groups have reported partial electromyogram (EMG) activation when subjects successfully withhold manual responses and have used this finding to define the nature of response inhibition properties in the spinal motor system. It is unknown whether subthreshold EMG activation from extraocular muscles can be detected in the saccadic response version of the stop signal task.