Which is the bigger problem - knowing what is the right thing to do, or doing it?
I just had an email conversation with my sister-in-law that started with her asking the Title and ended with the question below. And, at this point. I don't know what to say anymore.
I wonder to what extent people are more burdened by their weakness of will than by their inability to determine the proper action. Furthermore, in the case of akrasia, where does the breakdown take place? Has the agent misevaluated his own desires when he says "I want to stop smoking" but continues puffing away? Does he indeed not really want to stop smoking? Or does he want to stop smoking, he has adequately determined the right thing to do...the problem lies in implementing that desire?
6 comments:
Just because you may come to know the right thing to do, doesn't mean you want to do it. No matter how much you acknowledge its rightness.
I don't know about anyone else, but when I don't do "the right thing", it's because it's someone else's idea of "the right thing", and although it might be widely regarded as wisdom, I don't buy it.
So if I have a conversation like this:
HIM: "You should quit smoking."
ME : "I know."
The part that is left unsaid is:
ME : "Says you."
With regard to good/bad and right/wrong knowing is harder than doing. This is due to the nature of "right" and "wrong".
If we remove "right" and "wrong" from the smoking example, as ought be done, then the lack of doing becomes a question of motivation.
Adam's
"Unsaid Dialogues"
I suspect this 7 volume set would be a cult best seller.
I'd buy that set.
Also, Ethics is dumb.
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