more from this thinker     |     more from this text

Single Idea 20304

[filed under theme 20. Action / B. Preliminaries of Action / 2. Willed Action / b. Volitionism ]

Full Idea

The cause is in my will. I will not come./That is enough to satisfy the senate./But for your private satisfaction,/Because I love you, I will let you know.

Gist of Idea

The cause of my action is in my will

Source

William Shakespeare (Julius Caesar [1599], II.ii)

Book Ref

Shakespeare,William: 'Complete Works' []

A Reaction

This asserts the purest form of volitionism, but then qualifies it, because Caesar's will has been influenced by his wife's dreams.

The 4 ideas with the same theme [choosing to act is sufficient to perform an action]:

20304 The cause of my action is in my will [Shakespeare]
20037 Merely willing to walk leads to our walking [Descartes]
4552 There is no such things a pure 'willing' on its own; the aim must always be part of it [Nietzsche]
20038 If the action of walking is just an act of will, then movement of the legs seems irrelevant [Stout,R]