Aquinas, Geach, and the Inner Acts of the Will



• Aquinas, Geach, and the Inner Acts of the Will

  Item Type	Journal Article
  Author	Michał Głowala
  Abstract	In the paper I discuss Geach’s rejection of volitions (inner acts of the will) both in the exegesis of Aquinas and in systematic action theory – a rejection followed by some analytical commentators of Aquinas (like Davies and Kenny). I claim that Geach’s interpretation of Aquinas’s action theory in terms of tendencies (treating the will as a special kind of tendency) enables – pace Geach – a sound defense of volitionism both in the exegesis of Aquinas and in the action theory. In other words, I offer arguments in favour of volitions (inner acts of the will) starting from some insights to be found in Geach, and I response to some standard objections against volitionism. Moreover, I try to sketch a framework (based on an ontology of tendencies suggested by Geach) suitable to discuss some other volitionist claims. I proceed in four steps: first I introduce the definition of a volition or inner act of the will that may be ascribed to various camps in the volitionism debate; then I discuss three main arguments of Geach against volitionism – the argument from trying, the argument from voluntary omissions, and the argument from natural theology. I pay special attention to the issue of the timing of volitions.
  Date	2023
  Language	English
  Rights	© 2023 Aletheia - Associação Científica e Cultural
  Volume	79
  Pages	375-392
  Publication	Revista Portuguesa de Filosofia
  DOI	10.17990/RPF/2023_79_1_0375
  Issue	1-2
  ISSN	0870-5283 ; 2183-461X
  Date Added	31/07/2023, 7:21:49 PM
  Modified	31/07/2023, 9:28:56 PM

  Tags:

  • Aquinas, Geach, God’s unchangeability, omissions, timing of actions, volitions, will

  Notes:

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