Final answer:
The assertion that 'conscious intentions are never among the causes of corresponding actions' is challenged by experiments on implementation intentions, which suggest that conscious plans can causally influence behavior. Wegner's view is that conscious intentions are post-hoc narratives rather than causes of actions. However, this is at odds with findings that show intent can indeed lead to intended actions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'conscious intentions are never among the causes of corresponding actions' suggests that our deliberate intentions do not cause our actions as we commonly believe. Psychologist Daniel Wegner argues that conscious intent does not cause actions; instead, they are the result of underlying brain processes. According to Wegner, conscious intentions are more like narratives we construct to make sense of our actions after the fact, instead of being the true causal factors.
Experiments on implementation intentions, however, challenge Wegner's view. Implementation intentions are detailed plans about how to act in a particular situation, and research indicates that creating such intentions increases the likelihood of acting in accordance with them, suggesting that conscious intentions can indeed play a causal role in producing corresponding actions.
Utilitarians, meanwhile, argue that it's not the intent behind an action that is morally important, but the consequences of the action. This perspective differs from other ethical theories that do consider the intention behind actions when evaluating their moral value.