back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 3772

[from 'Utilitarianism' by John Stuart Mill, in 20. Action / B. Preliminaries of Action / 2. Willed Action / a. Will to Act ]

Full Idea

The will, in the beginning, is entirely produced by desire.

Gist of Idea

The will, in the beginning, is entirely produced by desire

Source

John Stuart Mill (Utilitarianism [1861], Ch.4)

Book Reference

Mill,John Stuart: 'Utilitarianism (including On Liberty etc)', ed/tr. Warnock,Mary [Fontana 1962], p.294


A Reaction

This is the sort of simplistic psychology that modern philosophers tend to avoid. Personally I am more Kantian. I will and desire that the answer to 3+2=? is 5, simply because it is true. Mill must realise we can will ourselves to desire something.