Quotes About Volition

It was likewise never doubted that all the antecedentia of an action, its causes, were to be sought in the consciousness and could be discovered there if one sought them – as 'motives': for otherwise one would not have been free to perform it, responsible for it.

Do whatever you will, but first be such as are able to will.

As with the subjects in all of my films, the incentive is left to the subject to determine on their own. I never ask someone why they say yes to me. After all, if you invited someone to join you for dinner, and they accepted your invitation, your next question wouldn't be, 'Why are you saying yes?'

Do nothing against thy will, nor contrary to the community, nor without due examination, nor with reluctancy.

No man can rob us of our free will.

Nothing is ever settled," says Jocelyn. "Every day is different. Isn't it better to do something because you've decided to? Rather than because you have to?

At this time is freedom anything but the right to live as we wish? Nothing else.

Forgetting is something that time takes care of, but forgiveness is an act of volition, and only the sufferer is qualified to make the decision.

Liberty is not an Idea belonging to Volition, or preferring; but to the Person having the Power of doing, or forbearing to do, according as the Mind shall chuse or direct.

always a choice, even in not choosing.

A man can do what he wants. But he can't want what he wants.

Der Mensch kann tun was er will; er kann aber nicht wollen was er will. Man can do what he wills but he cannot will what he wills.

If the laws of physics are not strictly causal the most that can be said is that the behaviour of the conscious brain is one of the possible behaviours of a mechanical brain. Precisely so; and the decision between the possible behaviours is what we call volition.

To the question whether I would admit that the cause of the decision of the atom has something in common with the cause of the decision of the brain, I would simply answer that there is no cause. In the case of the brain I have a deeper insight into the decision; this insight exhibits it as volition, i.e. something outside causality.

A man has free choice to the extent that he is rational.

Choosers will be beggars if the begging's not their choosing," said the Dog.

love is always a choice.

We assert then that nothing has been accomplished without interest on the part of the actors; and — if interest be called passion, inasmuch as the whole individuality, to the neglect of all other actual or possible interests and claims, is devoted to an object with every fibre of volition, concentrating all its desires and powers upon it — we may affirm absolutely that nothing great in the World has been accomplished without passion.

My case is a species of madness, only that it is a derangement of the Volition, and not of the intellectual faculties.

Eat this sweetish segment or spit it out. You are free.

You have no cause to grumble boy. You made your choice and all this is a consequence of your choice. Whatever now ensues is what you yourself have chosen.

Goodness comes from within. Goodness is something chosen. When a man cannot choose he ceases to be a man.

Whatever lies within our power to do lies also within our power not to do.

All that is done on compulsion is bitterness to the soul.