produces a short circuit in the acquIsI-
tion of information. Seneca praised Fabius
for knowing hovv "to wait, temporize-all
things of which an angry man is incapable."
More generally, he says, "reason grants a
hearing to both sides, then seeks to post-
pone action, even its own, in order that it
may gain time to sift out the truth;: but
. preCIpltate.
anger 15 .. " distinguishing between desires and motiva--
That said, there are clearly dangerous
situations where immediate action is re-
quired and where waiting would be disas-
trous. What is difTIcult is to distinguish
justified prompt actions from panic reac-
tions. After September II, 200r, were the
reactions of Western governrnents appro-
priate or excessive?Did they attenuate the
danger or increase it? 'lhe question is not
anly whether there was sufficient delibera-
tion, but also whether it was biased in the
sense that ane believes toa easily what ane
fears.
Iwould now like to broaden the analysis by
tions. Whereas desires bear directly on the
action to be undertaken, motivations are
more fundamental attitudes that give rise
to desires. Thus the desire to punish some-
one who has offended YOti can be produced
by self-interested calculation, by an erno-
dOll, ar by an impartial principIe of retrib-
utive justice. As I said at the outset and as
this example suggests, I shall follow the