The phenomenon of "slips," also known as action slips or slips of action, refers to a type of error that occurs when an individual's intended actions do not match their actual behavior. These slips can take many different forms, but they all involve a failure to execute a planned action or a tendency to perform a habitual action in a particular situation.
One of the key features of slips is that they often occur without the individual being aware of them. For example, a person might intend to grab a cup of coffee but accidentally pick up a pen instead, or they might intend to drive to work but end up driving to the grocery store instead. In these cases, the individual's intention and the actual action performed do not match, but the person may not realize the discrepancy until after the fact.
Another important feature of slips is that they are often triggered by specific situational cues. For example, a person might always grab their keys from the same spot when leaving the house, but if that spot is moved or obstructed, they may grab something else by mistake. Similarly, a person might always turn left at a certain intersection when driving to work, but if the traffic lights are out or there is construction, they may turn right by mistake.
Slips are important to morality and our understanding of moral responsibility for several reasons. First, they highlight the potential for unintentional actions to conflict with an individual's intentions and values. For example, if a person accidentally grabs a pen instead of a cup of coffee, they may not have intended to do so, but the action still has consequences. Similarly, if a person accidentally turns right instead of left, they may not have intended to take a different route, but the action still has implications for their arrival time and any plans they have made.
Second, slips can also have implications for moral responsibility because they demonstrate the potential for automatic or habitual actions to override an individual's intentions and values. For example, if a person always grabs their keys from the same spot when leaving the house, they may do so automatically and without thinking, even if the spot has been moved or obstructed. Similarly, if a person always turns left at a certain intersection when driving to work, they may do so automatically and without thinking, even if the traffic lights are out or there is construction