Table Of Content.d
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Weakness of Will from Plato to the Present (Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy, Volume 49), edited by
Tobias Hoffmann, Catholic University of America Press, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/inflibnet-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3134893.
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WEAKNESS OF WILL FROM
PLATO TO THE PRESENT
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Weakness of Will from Plato to the Present (Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy, Volume 49), edited by
Tobias Hoffmann, Catholic University of America Press, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/inflibnet-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3134893.
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STUDIES IN PHILOSOPHY
AND THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY
General Editor: Jude P. Dougherty
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Weakness of Will from Plato to the Present (Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy, Volume 49), edited by
Tobias Hoffmann, Catholic University of America Press, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/inflibnet-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3134893.
Created from inflibnet-ebooks on 2021-02-12 09:27:37.
Studies in Philosophy
and the History of Philosophy Volume 49
Weakness of Will from
Plato to the Present
Edited by Tobias Hoffmann
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o THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA PRESS
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Washington, D.C.
Weakness of Will from Plato to the Present (Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy, Volume 49), edited by
Tobias Hoffmann, Catholic University of America Press, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/inflibnet-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3134893.
Created from inflibnet-ebooks on 2021-02-12 09:27:37.
.d
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r sth The Catholic University of America Press
gir llA All rights reserved
.sse The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements
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cirem of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984.
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ytisrevin Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
U ciloh W ea kneps.s c omf .w —ill (frSotmud Pielsa tion tpoh tihloes porpehsye natn /d ethdeit ehdis btoyr Ty oobf ipash Hiloosfofmphayn n; .
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© ISBN 978-0-8132-1520-4 (cloth : alk. paper) 1. Free will and
thg determinism. I. Hoffmann, Tobias, 1967– II. Title. III. Series.
irypo BJ1461.W39 2008
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128'.3—dc22 2007033940
Weakness of Will from Plato to the Present (Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy, Volume 49), edited by
Tobias Hoffmann, Catholic University of America Press, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/inflibnet-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3134893.
Created from inflibnet-ebooks on 2021-02-12 09:27:37.
Contents
Preface vii
Tobias Hoffmann, Introduction ix
1. Kenneth Dorter, Weakness and Will in Plato’s Republic 1
2. Terence H. Irwin, Aristotle Reads the Protagoras 22
3. Lloyd P. Gerson, Plotinus on Weakness of the Will:
The Neoplatonic Synthesis 42
4. James Wetzel, Body Double: Saint Augustine and the
Sexualized Will 58
5. Denis J. M. Bradley, Thomas Aquinas on Weakness of
the Will 82
.d 6. Tobias Hoffmann, Henry of Ghent’s Voluntarist Account
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r sth 7. Giuseppe Mazzotta, Dante: Healing the Wounded Will 138
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cire 10. Thomas E. Hill Jr., Kant on Weakness of Will 210
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fo ytisre 11. TWreaakc yW Bill. Strong, Nietzsche, the Will to Power, and the 231
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Index of Names 313
Weakness of Will from Plato to the Present (Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy, Volume 49), edited by
Tobias Hoffmann, Catholic University of America Press, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/inflibnet-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3134893.
Created from inflibnet-ebooks on 2021-02-12 09:27:37.
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Weakness of Will from Plato to the Present (Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy, Volume 49), edited by
Tobias Hoffmann, Catholic University of America Press, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/inflibnet-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3134893.
Created from inflibnet-ebooks on 2021-02-12 09:27:37.
Preface
This volume collects thirteen original papers on the topic of weakness
of will. Most of them were originally delivered in the fall 2004 lecture se-
ries entitled “Weakness of Will,” sponsored by the School of Philosophy
at the Catholic University of America. Terry Irwin presented his paper
on a different occasion, while James Wetzel and Denis Bradley wrote
their papers purposely for this volume. I am very grateful to the authors
for their contributions and for their cooperation during the prepara-
tion of the manuscript.
The book would not have come about without the generous sup-
port of Rev. Dr. Kurt Pritzl, O.P., dean of the School of Philosophy, who
deserves my special appreciation. I am obliged to Risto Saarinen (Uni-
versity of Helsinki) and Hugh McCann (Texas A&M University), who
refereed the manuscript and provided useful comments. I also wish to
thank Dean Emeritus Dr. Jude Dougherty, series editor, and Dr. David
.d McGonagle, director of the Catholic University of America Press, for
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vre publishing this volume in the Studies in Philosophy and the History of
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r sth Philosophy, as well as my colleagues at the School of Philosophy, who as-
gir llA sisted me in organizing the lecture series. In addition I want to express
.sserP mprye pgararitnitgu dthe et ol eJcatnuerlele s eLriiveess,a ay,n wdh too hTehlpéerèds ew iSthca trhpee lplir aacntdic aElm dieltya iYlas nogf
a
cire for proofreading the manuscript. I am grateful as well to the Matchette
mA Foundation for fi nancial support for the lecture series.
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vii
Weakness of Will from Plato to the Present (Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy, Volume 49), edited by
Tobias Hoffmann, Catholic University of America Press, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/inflibnet-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3134893.
Created from inflibnet-ebooks on 2021-02-12 09:27:37.
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Weakness of Will from Plato to the Present (Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy, Volume 49), edited by
Tobias Hoffmann, Catholic University of America Press, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/inflibnet-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3134893.
Created from inflibnet-ebooks on 2021-02-12 09:27:37.
Introduction
TOBIAS HOFFMANN
That I may do something contrary to what I consider best to do is
not necessarily perplexing: I want to score a goal at a soccer game but
fail to do so because of lack of skill; I want to drive south but unknow-
ingly drive north instead; I fall from my bike because the road is slip-
pery. However, that I act against my better judgment intentionally, that
is, knowingly and freely, is puzzling indeed: no one wants to kick wide
of the net, get lost on the road, or take a painful tumble, while judging
that it would be desirable to score a goal, to arrive at one’s destination
on time, or to avoid a fall.
Weakness of will (i.e., incontinence) names the phenomenon of act-
ing, voluntarily, contrary to one’s better judgment. In such action, some-
thing has evidently gone quite wrong, but it is not immediately apparent
what.
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r sth it is possible. The renaissance of philosophical inquiry about inconti-
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.sse by Donald Davidson’s argument to the contrary.1 Since then, discussions
rP have centered either on whether incontinence is possible in light of a
a
cire specifi c theory of practical rationality, or, conversely, on how practical
m
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ytisrevin conInti niennccoen.tinent action, the connection between rational judgment
U cilo and rational desire, or between rational desire and action, is interrupt-
h ed. The practical judgment is not translated into action. Incontinence
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th vidson, “How Is Weakness of the Will Possible?” in Moral Concepts, ed. Joel Feinberg (Ox-
g
iryp ford: Oxford University Press, 1970), reprinted in D. Davidson, Essays on Actions and Events
oC (New York: Oxford University Press, 1980), 21–42. For a brief historical sketch of the
discussions from Hare until the recent past, see Sarah Stroud and Christine Tappolet, eds.,
Weakness of Will and Practical Irrationality (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2003), 1–9.
ix
Weakness of Will from Plato to the Present (Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy, Volume 49), edited by
Tobias Hoffmann, Catholic University of America Press, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/inflibnet-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3134893.
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