more on this theme     |     more from this thinker


Single Idea 9267

[filed under theme 16. Persons / F. Free Will / 1. Nature of Free Will ]

Full Idea

The statement that a person enjoys freedom of the will means that he is free to want what he wants to want. More precisely, he is free to will what he wants to will, or to have the will he wants.

Gist of Idea

Free will is the capacity to choose what sort of will you have

Source

Harry G. Frankfurt (Freedom of the Will and concept of a person [1971], §III)

Book Ref

'Free Will', ed/tr. Watson,Gary [OUP 1982], p.90


A Reaction

A good proposal. It covers kleptomaniacs and drug addicts quite well. Thieves have second-order desires (to steal) of which kleptomaniacs are incapable. There is actually no such thing as free will, but this sort of thing will do.


The 7 ideas from 'Freedom of the Will and concept of a person'

Freedom of action needs the agent to identify with their reason for acting [Frankfurt, by Wilson/Schpall]
Persons are distinguished by a capacity for second-order desires [Frankfurt]
The will is the effective desire which actually leads to an action [Frankfurt]
A person essentially has second-order volitions, and not just second-order desires [Frankfurt]
A 'wanton' is not a person, because they lack second-order volitions [Frankfurt]
Free will is the capacity to choose what sort of will you have [Frankfurt]
A person may be morally responsible without free will [Frankfurt]