Will (philosophy)

The term will ( OHG willio "want"; cf. Latin velle, 'will' / voluntas, 'will' / volitio, act of will ') or wool comes from the everyday or ordinary use language and is a nominalization of the verb, want ' (→ Verbalabstraktum ). In psychological science ( decision making process) and economics ( decision-making ) is the concept of the will is a synonym for the general technical term " Volition ", but which is defined differently for the two scientific disciplines. The term willpower (English willpower ) is used both in the colloquial as well as in technical language.

Term field

The word will is used in different contexts and can therefore mean different things:

• In contrast to instinct and desire Volition is a spiritual act, from which a pulse for achieving goals.
• The presence of a more or less strong longing or desire
• The nurture of desires or intentions
• But also extremely important in the lives of adult human striving for self- defined goals and thus the conversion of personal choices in the act or common or jointly taken decisions and assessments or laws in a conscious and purposive or even planned action. In the latter sense Volition is thus a term that is used in conjunction with action planning ( aiming at a target).

With the concept of the will, a feeling or a vague awareness of the impression or the more or less firm conviction is connected as a rule, to be free in his will. What exactly is meant by this so-called free will and whether it actually exists, is controversial.

To the will of the sustained and targeted implementation of decisions is expected by consistent action or verbal or written expressions of will not only. Also, the omission of an act, such as smoking, can be the realization of a will. Something, however, can also give rise to misinterpretations or misunderstandings cause not or no longer want. Indeed, it is also possible to regard a failure to act as " doing nothing" to bring a non-existent or weak-willed in connection and due to different and often unflattering motives such as a yourself go Let or laziness or convenience. To overcome such ' obstacles ' on the way to goal achievement will power is needed, which is referred to by the technical term Volition in psychology and management (see Volition (psychology ) and Volition (Management) ).

General aspects of implementation will

With the implementation will be in the context stamina and concentration. Relates to the will is the ability to adequately deal with occurring on the way to achieve these obstacles, and " discouragement " to cope with the phenomenon of. In the context of goals that are not achieved, it may come to the experience of frustration or resignation. If the target is reached, may enter satisfaction. The degree to which a person believes in the strength of their will and to accomplish one's own capability goals, has to do with self-confidence.

Through the initiative, the will of the ( mere) the fulfillment of which is done by other people or by chance is different.

The Will also has a creative aspect. Because for something you want, you must first be created a target once. The will decides what he wants. A lack of ability to know what you want, ie " not knowing what you want" in other words, can be considered a fault or limitation of will be considered.

Similarly, the exercise of the will through education, through psychological injury, through indoctrination, but also by disturbances of drive, mood or general living will may be hindered or disturbed.

In the growing child, the development of the will is a fundamental aspect. The formerly popular opinion, the awakening will of adolescent toddler was " to bend or break ", is now increasingly viewed as outdated because the children often damage was inflicted by the corresponding actions. As with other aspects of the child's psyche are here instead, love, responsibility and expertise of parents and other caregivers, as well as appropriate responses the best prerequisite for a healthy development.

To concept formation in philosophy

The nature of the will and in particular its relationship to reason is a traditional motif of philosophical research. The main reason was Aristotle who described the human soul as divided into three parts. Of these, which includes " animal " soul part of the quest. For Aristotle, the pursuit is partly offset by the genuine human soul part, reason, controllable. The Aristotelian theory was the starting point of many works to modern times, the very different specific and the human quest partly from the natural impulses, are rooted in part the relationship between will and reason in reason.

Arthur Schopenhauer in 1819 presented a conception of the will as a general element of reality ( The World as Will and Representation ), which - although not in the mainstream of European and North American philosophy - significant effect was also to other areas, so the music of Richard Wagner on the Fiction in Thomas Mann, to sociology with Ferdinand Tönnies (see below) and to psychoanalysis with Sigmund Freud.

To concept formation in jurisprudence

The concept of the will has great importance in the jurisprudence. In civil law, the determination of the will is based on the specific intention to make a transaction with legal effect. Since it is missing, if the agent by force, fraud or mistake ( errantis non est voluntas ) is caused to the business, so all the shops so incurred are equally valid and legally ineffective, as expressions of the joke, all loaded with extreme conditions like dispositions, that from the lack of seriousness shows justify all merely occasional utterances, simulations etc. due to lack of Willensernstlichkeit no legal obligation. The determination of the will follows from the statement of intent ( voluntatis declaratio ), is either expressly, that implied by clear, unequivocal, oral or written, expressed words, head shaking, head nodding, etc., or that is made ​​known to by such words or actions, resulting closes with reliability on the declaration of intent, or suspected, it can be concluded if neither words nor actions which have to this case relationship, but from other probable reasons with the approval of the law on a declaration of intent. The importance of the legal will is due to the principle of private autonomy.

On the concept of the will in Sociology

In sociology, is to refer to the will theory of Ferdinand Tönnies (1855-1936), it differs in its work community and society forms the essence of will that ever leads to communities, of which the Kürwillens who ever leads to companies. He coined the term voluntarism.

This Willensaxiomatik sociology influenced especially as Paul Barth, Dimitrie Gusti and Georg Jacoby.

The term will in psychology

Will referred to within psychology such as intentional action control the behavior of the people by himself (see Volitionspsychologie, Motivational psychology). That which is generally referred to as the will is nothing else than those cognitively processed motivation is that the ego has given preference over others. Related to the concept reluctance interior inhibition.

The Brockhaus psychology distinguishes between the mental (inner) act of will and ( will ) action designed to achieve a goal of action. The latter he calls "external act of the will ."