106:
140:
goal. An all-things-considered assessment of the situation will bring full knowledge of a decision's outcome and worth, linked to well-developed principles of the good. A person, according to
Socrates, never chooses to act poorly or against his better judgment and, therefore, actions that go against what is best are simply a product of being
139:
Plato's
Socrates attests that akrasia does not exist, claiming "No one goes willingly toward the bad" (Protagoras 358d). If a person examines a situation and decides to act in the way he determines to be best, he will pursue this action, as the best course is also the good course, i.e. man's natural
197:
agent...my subject concerns evaluative judgments, whether they are analyzed cognitively, prescriptively, or otherwise." Thus, he expands akrasia to include cases in which the agent seeks to fulfill desires, for example, but end up denying themselves the pleasure they have deemed most choice-worthy.
196:
were somehow swerved off their "desired" tracks. Indeed, Davidson expands akrasia to include any judgment that is reached but not fulfilled, whether it be as a result of an opinion, a real or imagined good, or a moral belief. "he puzzle I shall discuss depends only on the attitude or belief of the
169:
a state where an agent has power over their desires. Aristotle considered one could be in a state of akrasia with respect to money or temper or glory, but that its core relation was to bodily enjoyment. Its causes could be weakness of will, or an impetuous refusal to think. At the same time he did
158:. Since opinion is formulated mentally in a way that may or may not imitate truth, while appetites are merely desires of the body, opinion is only incidentally aligned with or opposed to the good, making an akratic action the product of opinion instead of reason. For Aristotle, the opposite of
230:
process. She enumerates four types of akrasia: akrasia of direction or aim, of interpretation, of irrationality, and of character. She separates the practical reasoning process into four steps, showing the breakdown that may occur between each step and how each constitutes an akratic state.
218:
Davidson solves the problem by saying that, when people act in this way they temporarily believe that the worse course of action is better because they have not made an all-things-considered judgment but only a judgment based on a subset of possible considerations.
276:
that taking revenge upon a murderer is not the best course of action but makes the resolution to take revenge anyway and sticks to that resolution. According to Holton, Sarah behaves akratically but does not show weakness of will.
292:, incontinence is the sin punished in the second through fifth circles. The mutual incontinence of lust was for Dante the lightest of the deadly sins, even if its lack of self-control would open the road to deeper layers of Hell.
343:
A peak of such acrasia was perhaps reached in the 1960s cult of letting it all hang out – of breakdown, acting out and emotional self-indulgence and drama. Partly in reaction, the proponents of
490:
154:
to a more empirical approach to the question. He distanced himself from the
Socratic position by arguing that akrasia occurs as a result of an agent's opinion, not of their
272:
too easily. Under this view, it is possible to act against one's better judgment (that is, be akratic), but without being weak-willed. Suppose, for example, Sarah
192:(1917–2003) attempted to answer the question by first criticizing earlier thinkers who wanted to limit the scope of akrasia to agents who despite having reached a
847:
469:
89:) is a lack of mental strength or willpower, or the tendency to act against one's better judgment. It is sometimes translated into English as
226:(1980) has tackled the problem by distilling out akrasia's many forms. She contends that akrasia is manifested in different stages of the
1012:
828:
922:
903:
867:
817:
768:
246:, which might make it possible to believe that one should do A rather than B, but still end up wanting to do B more than A.
170:
not consider it a vice because it is not so much a product of moral choice but a failure to act on one's better knowledge.
942:
376:
618:
351:– to his dictum that "a person is called continent or incontinent according as his reason is or is not in control".
997:
961:
97:, a variety of philosophers have attempted to determine whether or not akrasia exists and how best to define it.
301:, representing the incontinence of lust, followed in the next canto by a study of that of anger; and as late as
72:
748:
480:, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1967., accessed on 1 September 2024
250:
189:
526:
324:
wrote that "those who restrain desire, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained". Encouraged by
181:; he considered it a matter of everyday experience that men incontinently choose lesser over greater goods.
587:
491:"Akrasia and the divided will: The crisis of moral choice and the goal of human existence - 3 Quarks Daily"
320:, however, the incontinent choice of feeling over reason became increasingly valorised in Western culture.
340:
is accepted – consciously or unconsciously, in theory or in practice – as a substitute for creativeness".
987:
800:
Hookway, C. (2001). "Epistemic
Akrasia and Epistemic Virtue". In Fairweather, A.; Zagzebski, L. (eds.).
972:
257:, which causes us to make different judgements close to a reward than we will when further from it.
613:. The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri. Vol. 1. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 178.
20:
760:
435:
427:
238:
which can conflict with each other. Throughout the ages, many have identified a conflict between
531:. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University – via Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
809:
371:
344:
254:
193:
396:
325:
211:
If an agent wants to do A more than B, then they will do A rather than B if they only do one.
131:
one judges action A to be the best course of action, why would one do anything other than A?
119:
801:
752:
155:
177:, incontinence was not so much a problem of knowledge (knowing but not acting) but of the
8:
1002:
753:
386:
227:
1007:
992:
841:
695:
201:
174:
151:
457:
918:
899:
892:
863:
813:
802:
764:
614:
329:
310:
297:
178:
878:
391:
34:
836:(Thesis/Dissertation ed.). University of Illinois at Chicago. pp. 85–90.
401:
286:
525:
Kraut, Richard (14 July 2017). "Aristotle's Ethics". In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.).
269:
223:
150:, acknowledging that we intuitively believe in akrasia, devoted book VII of the
642:
265:
208:
If an agent believes A to be better than B, then they want to do A more than B.
981:
938:
477:
381:
348:
337:
321:
67:
967:
406:
855:
317:
306:
302:
200:
Davidson sees the problem as one of reconciling the following apparently
964:
containing links to papers on conscious will and on thought suppression.
253:
argues that akrasia results from the empirically verified phenomenon of
235:
164:
147:
141:
955:
347:
would look back to
Aristotle in the search for impulse control and
124:
804:
Virtue
Epistemology: Essays on Epistemic Virtue and Responsibility
105:
77:, "lacking command" or "weakness", occasionally transliterated as
431:
361:
268:(1999), argues that weakness of the will involves revising one's
243:
583:
885:(Fall ed.). Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University.
428:"How to Study Effectively: 8 Advanced Tips - College Info Geek"
366:
239:
94:
70:
93:("a want of continence or self-restraint"). Beginning with
58:
55:
49:
37:
945:, 2007: An interactive computer model of akrasia based on
894:
Diseases of the Will: Alcohol and the
Dilemmas of Freedom
234:
Another explanation is that there are different forms of
968:
Aristotle: Ethics and the
Virtues (Weakness of the Will)
830:
Housing Policy and Common Sense: An
Inquiry and a Method
313:
would be treated as a form of (spiritual) incontinence.
214:
Sometimes an agent acts against their better judgment.
787:
Practical Reason, Aristotle, and the
Weakness of Will
52:
43:
113:, Plato has Socrates examine the concept of akrasia.
46:
295:Akrasia appeared later as a character in Spenser's
40:
946:
891:
751:(1980) . "How is Weakness of the Will Possible?".
979:
609:Durling, Robert M.; Martinez, Ronald L. (1996).
608:
144:of facts or knowledge of what is best or good.
826:
19:"Acrasia" redirects here. For other uses, see
876:
789:. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
912:
889:
854:
808:. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp.
759:. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp.
747:
799:
846:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
184:
898:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
127:asks precisely how it is possible that,
104:
973:Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics, Book VII
951:(5th ed.). Boston: Addison Wesley.
883:The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
528:The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
109:Portrait in marble of Socrates. In the
980:
336:(ακρατεια)...a state of mind in which
524:
438:from the original on 21 December 2021
425:
134:
796:. New Haven: Yale University Press.
581:
260:
13:
1013:Disorders of diminished motivation
943:The Wolfram Demonstrations Project
779:
590:from the original on 27 April 2009
377:Disorders of diminished motivation
222:Another contemporary philosopher,
14:
1024:
932:
794:Mind and Imagination in Aristotle
426:Frank, Thomas (22 January 2015).
33:
728:
715:
702:
687:
674:
665:
652:
636:
627:
602:
575:
562:
915:The Illusion of Conscious Will
553:
544:
535:
518:
505:
483:
462:
450:
419:
285:In the structural division of
1:
947:Cooter, R.; Ulen, T. (2007).
881:. In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.).
740:
755:Essays on Actions and Events
7:
725:(1996) pp. 80–83 and p. xiv
699:(1939) v5 p. 377 and p. 399
570:Thinking Through Technology
354:
328:, there was a rise of what
10:
1029:
515:(1976) pp. 142, 66, and 89
476:, volume 3, translated by
100:
71:
18:
511:J. A. K. Thompson trans,
280:
956:Akrasia and Self-Binding
917:. Cambridge: MIT Press.
862:. Cambridge: MIT Press.
680:Quoted in M. H. Abrams,
671:Mitcham, pp. 265–66
559:Thompson, pp. 244–6
541:Thompson, pp. 235–9
413:
21:Acrasia (disambiguation)
998:Greek words and phrases
827:Schorsch, A.J. (1992).
682:The Mirror and the Lamp
513:The Ethics of Aristotle
474:Plato in Twelve Volumes
185:Contemporary approaches
877:Stroud, Sarah (2008).
723:Emotional Intelligence
372:Categorical imperative
345:emotional intelligence
332:would describe as "an
255:hyperbolic discounting
114:
941:by Seth J. Chandler,
913:Wegner, D.M. (2002).
890:Valverde, M. (1998).
860:Rationality in Action
712:(2009) pp. 120–1
633:Dante, pp. 101–2
572:(1994) pp. 263–4
397:Higher-order volition
349:delayed gratification
108:
962:Daniel Wegner's site
316:With the triumph of
16:Lack of self-control
693:Arnold J. Toynbee,
387:Executive functions
309:of such figures as
228:practical reasoning
988:Concepts in ethics
879:"Weakness of Will"
696:A Study of History
202:inconsistent triad
175:Augustine of Hippo
152:Nicomachean Ethics
115:
949:Law and Economics
924:978-0-262-23222-7
905:978-0-521-62300-1
869:978-0-262-19463-1
819:978-0-19-514077-4
785:Dahl, N.O. 1984.
770:978-0-19-924626-7
582:Ainslie, George.
456:dictionary.com –
330:Arnold J. Toynbee
311:Marianne Dashwood
298:The Faerie Queene
194:rational decision
135:Classical answers
81:or Anglicised as
1020:
952:
928:
909:
897:
886:
873:
851:
845:
837:
835:
823:
807:
792:Wedin, M. 1988.
774:
758:
735:
734:Thompson, p. 302
732:
726:
721:Daniel Goleman,
719:
713:
706:
700:
691:
685:
678:
672:
669:
663:
656:
650:
647:The Fairie Queen
640:
634:
631:
625:
624:
606:
600:
599:
597:
595:
579:
573:
566:
560:
557:
551:
550:Thompson, p. 244
548:
542:
539:
533:
532:
522:
516:
509:
503:
502:
500:
498:
487:
481:
470:Protagoras, 358d
466:
460:
454:
448:
447:
445:
443:
423:
392:Marshmallow test
261:Weakness of will
76:
75:
65:
64:
61:
60:
57:
54:
51:
48:
45:
42:
39:
1028:
1027:
1023:
1022:
1021:
1019:
1018:
1017:
978:
977:
935:
925:
906:
870:
839:
838:
833:
820:
782:
780:Further reading
777:
771:
743:
738:
733:
729:
720:
716:
707:
703:
692:
688:
679:
675:
670:
666:
658:Claire Harman,
657:
653:
641:
637:
632:
628:
621:
607:
603:
593:
591:
584:"Picoeconomics"
580:
576:
567:
563:
558:
554:
549:
545:
540:
536:
523:
519:
510:
506:
496:
494:
489:
488:
484:
467:
463:
455:
451:
441:
439:
424:
420:
416:
411:
402:Procrastination
357:
283:
263:
190:Donald Davidson
187:
137:
103:
36:
32:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1026:
1016:
1015:
1010:
1005:
1000:
995:
990:
976:
975:
970:
965:
959:
953:
934:
933:External links
931:
930:
929:
923:
910:
904:
887:
874:
868:
852:
824:
818:
797:
790:
781:
778:
776:
775:
769:
744:
742:
739:
737:
736:
727:
714:
701:
686:
673:
664:
651:
649:(1978) p. lxiv
643:Edmund Spenser
635:
626:
619:
601:
574:
568:Carl Mitcham,
561:
552:
543:
534:
517:
504:
493:. 26 July 2024
482:
461:
449:
417:
415:
412:
410:
409:
404:
399:
394:
389:
384:
379:
374:
369:
364:
358:
356:
353:
282:
279:
266:Richard Holton
262:
259:
251:George Ainslie
216:
215:
212:
209:
186:
183:
136:
133:
102:
99:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1025:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
994:
991:
989:
986:
985:
983:
974:
971:
969:
966:
963:
960:
957:
954:
950:
944:
940:
937:
936:
926:
920:
916:
911:
907:
901:
896:
895:
888:
884:
880:
875:
871:
865:
861:
857:
853:
849:
843:
832:
831:
825:
821:
815:
811:
806:
805:
798:
795:
791:
788:
784:
783:
772:
766:
762:
757:
756:
750:
746:
745:
731:
724:
718:
711:
708:Jenny Diski,
705:
698:
697:
690:
684:(1971) p. 251
683:
677:
668:
662:(2007) p. 126
661:
655:
648:
644:
639:
630:
622:
620:9780195087444
616:
612:
605:
589:
585:
578:
571:
565:
556:
547:
538:
530:
529:
521:
514:
508:
492:
486:
479:
478:W. R. M. Lamb
475:
471:
465:
459:
453:
437:
433:
429:
422:
418:
408:
405:
403:
400:
398:
395:
393:
390:
388:
385:
383:
382:Ego depletion
380:
378:
375:
373:
370:
368:
365:
363:
360:
359:
352:
350:
346:
341:
339:
338:antinomianism
335:
331:
327:
323:
319:
314:
312:
308:
304:
300:
299:
293:
291:
290:
278:
275:
271:
267:
258:
256:
252:
249:Psychologist
247:
245:
241:
237:
232:
229:
225:
220:
213:
210:
207:
206:
205:
203:
198:
195:
191:
182:
180:
176:
171:
168:
166:
161:
157:
153:
149:
145:
143:
132:
130:
126:
122:
121:
112:
107:
98:
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
74:
69:
63:
30:
26:
22:
948:
914:
893:
882:
859:
856:Searle, J.R.
829:
803:
793:
786:
754:
749:Davidson, D.
730:
722:
717:
709:
704:
694:
689:
681:
676:
667:
659:
654:
646:
638:
629:
610:
604:
592:. Retrieved
577:
569:
564:
555:
546:
537:
527:
520:
512:
507:
497:15 September
495:. Retrieved
485:
473:
464:
458:incontinence
452:
440:. Retrieved
421:
407:Self control
342:
333:
315:
296:
294:
288:
284:
273:
264:
248:
233:
224:Amélie Rorty
221:
217:
199:
188:
172:
163:
159:
146:
138:
128:
118:
116:
110:
91:incontinence
90:
86:
82:
78:
28:
27:
25:
710:The Sixties
660:Jane's Fame
318:Romanticism
307:sensibility
303:Jane Austen
270:resolutions
117:In Plato's
1003:Motivation
982:Categories
741:References
236:motivation
123:dialogue,
120:Protagoras
111:Protagoras
1008:Reasoning
993:Free will
939:"Akrasia"
842:cite book
165:enkrateia
148:Aristotle
858:(2001).
594:27 March
588:Archived
442:30 April
436:Archived
355:See also
326:Rousseau
287:Dante's
142:ignorant
125:Socrates
611:Inferno
468:Plato,
432:YouTube
362:Aboulia
334:abandon
289:Inferno
244:emotion
160:akrasia
101:History
79:acrasia
73:ἀκρασία
29:Akrasia
921:
902:
866:
816:
812:–199.
767:
617:
367:Acedia
281:Legacy
274:judges
240:reason
156:desire
87:acracy
83:acrasy
834:(PDF)
763:–42.
414:Notes
322:Blake
95:Plato
68:Greek
919:ISBN
900:ISBN
864:ISBN
848:link
814:ISBN
765:ISBN
615:ISBN
596:2009
499:2024
444:2020
305:the
242:and
179:will
173:For
810:178
162:is
85:or
984::
844:}}
840:{{
761:21
645:,
586:.
472:,
434:.
430:.
204::
129:if
66:;
50:eɪ
958:.
927:.
908:.
872:.
850:)
822:.
773:.
623:.
598:.
501:.
446:.
167:,
62:/
59:ə
56:i
53:z
47:r
44:k
41:ˈ
38:ə
35:/
31:(
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
