What if willpower does not exist?
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jesperbylund.com
If we were to reconsider willpower as “the capacity to effect the determination of resolve” may the principle be more insightful?
Does the capacity to effect the determination of resolve exist?
In “the capacity to effect the determination of resolve“ isn’t the “determination of resolve” the same as will power?
My attempt is to reframe as willpower as having mental capacity to take information into account, or to lack the capacity and default to path of least resistance logic.
In all three we are assuming there’s an actor making a choice. But I think we can stay at that level of abstraction for this discussion.
Will is affected by many things, information one among them (information is the removal of uncertainty. If it does not remove uncertainty it is not information.)
The problem with the phantom of “choice” is many fold. Among which this persistent discussion of whether influences unseen or otherwise give the illusion of will or power.
That will may be influenced or fooled or influenced is a separate consideration (arguably will is a skill which may be developed and enhanced.)
That each individual has a feedback chamber which allows the interruption and override of determination in realtime is the glorious grail of will every individual being “should” covet.
Addictive substances show that in some cases chemicals can affect willpower.
It could still can be explained that the brain processes the pleasure gained from heroin as more important than the possibility of early death. However, different drugs have different addiction-forming potential which could indicate at least partial chemical influence.
That does not oppose experiments with chemicals etc. Just offer a different explanation for how they work.