more from Harry G. Frankfurt

Single Idea 9267

[catalogued under 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 Reference

'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.