Volition and Allied Causal Concepts

By Sion, Avi, Dr.

Book Id: WPLBN0100304368
Format Type: PDF eBook:
File Size: 0.1 MB
Reproduction Date: 1/1/2004

Title:	Volition and Allied Causal Concepts
Author:	Sion, Avi, Dr.
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Non Fiction, Philosophy, Volition, Freewill, Influence, Psychology, Philosophy, Theology, Evolution
Collections:	Authors Community, Philosophy
Historic Publication Date:	2004
Publisher:	Avi Sion - Kindle

Member Page:	Avi Sion
Citation APA MLA Chicago Avi Sion, B. D. (2004). Volition and Allied Causal Concepts. Retrieved from http://gutenberg.cc/

Description
Volition and Allied Causal Concepts is a work of aetiology and metapsychology. Aetiology is the branch of philosophy and logic devoted to the study of causality (the cause-effect relation) in all its forms; and metapsychology is the study of the basic concepts common to all psychological discourse, most of which are causal. Volition (or free will) is to be distinguished from causation and natural spontaneity. The latter categories, i.e. deterministic causality and its negation, have been treated in a separate work, The Logic of Causation. Volition may be characterized as personal causality, a relation between an agent (the self or soul) and his actions (acts of will). Unlike causation, this relation cannot be entirely defined using conditional (if–then) propositions. Although we can say that the agent is a sine qua non of his actions, we cannot say that the agent is invariably (in all or specific circumstances) followed by his actions. It appears that both an act of will and its negation remain possible to a soul in any given set of circumstances. This defines freedom of the will, and implies the responsibility of the agent for his actions. Introspection provides knowledge of particular acts of will. The existence of freewill implies a distinction between necessary causation (determinism independent of volition) and inertial causation (determinism, except when some contrary will interferes). An act of will occurs on a spiritual plane. It may have natural (mental or physical) consequences; those that inevitably follow it may be regarded as directly willed, whereas those that vary according to circumstances must be considered indirectly willed. Volition presupposes some degree of consciousness. So-called involuntary acts of will involve a minimum of attention, whereas mindful acts are fully conscious. Even pure whim involves intention. Most volitions moreover involve valuation, some sort of projection of goals, deliberation on means, choice and decision. To judge responsibility, various distinctions are called for, like that between intentional, incidental and accidental consequences. Volitional action can be affected through the terms and conditions of the world surrounding its agent, but also more intimately through the influence of concrete or abstract aspects of that world that the subject has cognized. The causal concept of influence, and its implication of cognition (of inner or outer information, including emotions), are crucial to measuring the effort involved in volition. Influences make willing easier or harder, yet do not curtail its essential freedom. All the causal concepts used in psychological explanation – affections, appetites, instincts, habits, obsessions, compulsions, urges and impulses – can be elucidated thanks to this important finding. Much of human (and animal) behavior can thus be both acknowledged as volitional and as variously influenced. Volition and Allied Causal Concepts is a work of ambitious scope, intent on finally resolving philosophical and logical issues that have always impeded progress in psychology. It clarifies the structure and workings of the psyche, facilitating hygienic and therapeutic endeavors. The relation between volition and physical laws is discussed, as is the place of volition in biology. Concepts used in biology, analogous to that of purpose, are incidentally analyzed. Theological issues are also dealt with, as are some topics in ethics and law.

Summary
Volition and Allied Causal Concepts is a work of aetiology and metapsychology. Aetiology is the branch of philosophy and logic devoted to the study of causality (the cause-effect relation) in all its forms; and metapsychology is the study of the basic concepts common to all psychological discourse, most of which are causal. This is a work of ambitious scope, intent on finally resolving philosophical and logical issues that have always impeded progress in psychology.

Table of Contents
1. Basic Causal Relations 11 1. Causation and volition 11 2. Causality and modality 19 3. Spontaneity 21 4. Relative vs. absolute contingency 26 2. Interactions between Volition and Causation 28 1. Necessity and inertia in causation 28 2. Direct and indirect volition 34 3. Matter-mind and spirit 39 4. Conceiving Divine volition 41 5. The study of volition 45 3. Further Analysis of Volition 49 1. Knowledge of volition 49 2. Freedom of the will 54 3. Decision and choice 59 4. Goals and means 62 4. Consciousness and Responsibility 67 1. The consciousness in volition 67 2. The factors of responsibility 73 3. Judging, and misjudging, people 79 5. Influence and Freedom 89 1. Influence occurs via consciousness 89 2. Knowledge of effort, influence and freedom 94 3. Formal analysis of influence 97 4. Incitement 103 6. Further Analysis of Influence 109 1. Some features of influence 109 2. Processes of influence 116 3. Instincts in relation to freewill 120 4. Liberation from unwanted influences 124 5. Propositions about the future 126 7. The Workings of Volition 129 1. Cultural context and epistem. considerations 129 2. Theoretical context 133 3. Stages in the process of volition 143 4. The scope of freewill 154 8. Volition and the Special Sciences 159 1. Volition and the laws of physics 159 2. Volition and biology 167 3. Therapeutic psychology 173 9. Will, Velleity and Whim 180 1. Cognition, volition and valuation 180 2. Velleity 189 3. Whim 192 4. Inner divisions 195 10. Affections and Appetites 199 1. Valuation 199 2. The main valuations 203 3. Ethology 212 11. Complications of Influence 221 1. Habits 221 2. Obsessions and compulsions 224 3. The ego abhors a vacuum 234 12. Urges and Impulses 242 1. Physical urges and impulses 242 2. Mental urges and impulses 254 3. Formal analysis of physical and mental urges 259 4. Are there drives within the soul? 263 5. Formal analysis of spiritual urges 267 13. The Quasi-Purposive in Nature 273 1. Purposiveness 273 2. Organic functions 275 3. The continuity of life 281 14. Concepts of Evolution 286 1. The logical form of evolution 286 2. Evidence for evolution 292 3. Random mutation 296 4. Natural selection 302 15. More about Evolution 308 1. Social Darwinism 308 2. Spiritual Darwinism 314 3. Theological perspectives 318 16. The Self 325 1. Ungluing the mind 325 2. Abstract vs. concrete self 329 3. Sundry reflections on the soul and God 342 17. Some Topics in Deontology 353 1. Founding ethics 353 2. Ethics concerns the living, thinking, willing 360 3. Conscience and conformism 365 4. Tai Chi, karma yoga and faith 369 18. More Topics in Deontology 375 1. Inducing ethics 375 2. Ethical formulas 381 3. Philosophy of law 388 19. Appendixes 394 1. Some formal logic guidelines 394 2. Aristotle’s four causes 400 References, 405 Figures 1. Mapping the process of volition, 144 2. How momentary subjects and objects give rise to abstractions, 330