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Single Idea 8230

[from 'Centring' by Anon (Cent), in 20. Action / B. Preliminaries of Action / 2. Willed Action / a. Will to Act ]

Full Idea

Just as you have the impulse to do something, stop.

Gist of Idea

Just as you have the impulse to do something, stop

Source

Anon (Cent) (Centring [c.500 BCE], 64)

Book Reference

'Zen Flesh, Zen Bones', ed/tr. Reps,Paul [Penguin 1971], p.159


A Reaction

Nice. You might train your own will like a dog in this way. It is a counterexample to the simplistic idea that all you need is a belief and a desire, and you have got an action. But (pace Searle, Ideas 3817 + 3818) this does not prove free will.

Related Ideas

Idea 3817 Free will is most obvious when we choose between several reasons for an action [Searle]

Idea 3818 We freely decide whether to make a reason for action effective [Searle]