Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Natural Goodness', '06: Epistle to the Romans' and 'Utilitarianism'

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2 ideas

20. Action / B. Preliminaries of Action / 2. Willed Action / a. Will to Act

3772	The will, in the beginning, is entirely produced by desire [Mill]
	Full Idea: The will, in the beginning, is entirely produced by desire.
	From: John Stuart Mill (Utilitarianism [1861], Ch.4)
	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.

20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 3. Acting on Reason / a. Practical reason

23694	All criterions of practical rationality derive from goodness of will [Foot]
	Full Idea: I want to say, baldly, that there is no criterion for practical rationality that is not derived from that of goodness of will.
	From: Philippa Foot (Natural Goodness [2001], 1)
	A reaction: Where does that put the successful and clever criminal? Presumably they are broadly irrational, but narrowly rational - but that is not very clear distinction. She says Kant's concept of the good will is too pure, and unrelated to human good.