Philosophy of the Will and Voluntary Action
Classified in Philosophy and ethics
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The Will and Voluntary Action
Description of a Voluntary Action
Difference Between Wanting and Desiring
- It starts to appear when the good, intellectually conceived, is not sensible.
- It clearly appears when there is opposition between the will and desire.
Analysis of a Voluntary Action
| Stage | Potency | Technical Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intent of the Goal | Intelligence | Simple apprehension | Something occurs to me |
| Will | Simple volition | I’d like to do it | |
| Intelligence | Judgment of possibility and convenience | I can do it and it’s convenient for me | |
| Will | Effective intent | I’ll do it | |
| Choice of the Means | Intelligence | Deliberation or counsel | I have these means to do it |
| Will | Consent | They all seem good to me | |
| Intelligence | Last practical judgment | This is the best | |
| Will | Free choice | I choose this one | |
| Execution | Intelligence | Order of the practical reason | Do it! |
| Will | Active use | I will | |
| Executive potencies | Passive use | I do it | |
| Will | Enjoyment | I enjoy the action |
Nature of the Will
The Object of the Will
The object of the will is the good conceived by the intelligence.
Consequences:
- Something evil cannot be wanted by itself.
- The unknown cannot be wanted.
- The will necessarily wants pure good and absolute good.
Spirituality of the Will
- If it is a rational appetite, its object is spiritual; therefore, the action of wanting is spiritual, and so is the capability that carries out the action.
- The will is capable of reflection: it may want to want.
The Will and Other Capabilities
The Will and the Intelligence
There is a reciprocal influence between the two after the initial dependence of the will with respect to intelligence.
The Will and the Passions
- Passions move the will.
- The will can dominate the passions.