Big Frank is returning to a issue raised in a previous post - the issue of the unified will. HL has been thinking about this a lot and she raised these issues both in conversation with Big Frank yesterday and previously in comments. So Big Frank is responding - through Harry Frankfurt. The basic issue is that, as St. Augustine wrote, we have both the will to do something and the will not to do it. This ambivalence he characterizes as a "disease of the mind". Harry Frankfurt writes in "Reasons for Love" that the way out of this is through a unified will. HL questions in her comments whether it wouldn't be better to "abolish" one will. That's a good question HL!
It perhaps does not make any difference what you call the end result - abolishing one will, preferring one will, choosing one will, or ignoring one will for the other. It is unlikely that the emotion or passion that sparked the inclination to act will be completely abolished or gotten rid of quickly or easily. Although we all know that there are some things that we have wanted in the past that we no longer desire. However, there are also new things that pop up that present new splits in the will. Perhaps a better question is rather what is the process by which the will becomes less conflicted?
Frankfurt writes that having an undivided will is being wholehearted. And, this is, “ to love oneself” (95). Frankfurt tells us why this is so important: a divided will is a kind self-contradiction in thought. And obtaining the tranquility of an undivided will gives you freedom, freedom from obstruction from yourself. As he writes: “Self-love has going for it, then, its role in constituting both the structure of volitional rationality and the mode of freedom that this structure of the will ensures” (97). Although it is difficult to obtain, having it can be a source of great satisfaction because it gives meaning to our lives by giving us settled final ends.
You'll notice that Frankfurt is following a kind of classical model - like the Stoics, he values tranquility above such romantic values as passion and striving for difficult to obtain things. He emphasizes that care and love can be remedies for the conflicted states of mind. Nonetheless, we have all witnessed how temporary times in our lives that were characterized by restlessness, uncertainty, indecisiveness, and instability have led to positive outcomes. It seems that whether we talk of St. Augustine, St. Paul, Buddha, or many many others we can find that they went through times of restless striving that led them to a form of transcendence. Thus, like so many other truisms there is more than a little simplicity in Frankfurt's notion of wholeheartedness. Still it seems a worthy goal and one would hope that his notion of wholeheartedness would carry the day most of the time, with only infrequent episodes of transitional unease.
So it appears that it is advantageous to live a life of tranquility facilitated through self-love. However, at times this can be thrown out of balance, and while by and large through wholeheartedness one weathers these emotion/passions/urges to do something or not to do something, still there are times when one can be transformed in a good way through restless striving. The status quo is not in and of itself always desirable. Through self-love one can stay on track, but it is also true that a interrupted stability often accompanies positive transformations! Ignoring it could result in missed opportunities.
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3 comments:
Dear Mr. Dickinson,
I am impressed with your thoughtfulness on this subject. We will probably not see eye to eye on the matter, but I enjoy being stretched in my thinking...so no worries!
I do recoil a bit at the words "self-love." It seems to me that the evil and destruction in the world stems from humans seeking their own desires. In fact, some of my most insecure and chaotic innerself times have been when I am focused on myself, my needs, my wants, my wishes. Maybe I am not understanding what our friend Harry is saying when he refers to the freedom and tranquility that come from "self-love". I hope you don't label me as a bit ascetic when I say this, but I have found more freedom and contentment and purpose in life as I have focused on "loving outside of myself." From life experiences, and contemplation of those experiences, I have found that the times I gave in to my "self-love will" were usually the times I experienced regret or sadness. But when I have listened to the other "will" the voice of goodness and grace toward's others and toward's God, I am truly liberated and extremely content with my self and my life. Honestly, I believe that mankind struggles with "epithumia" a greek word meaning tthe active and individual desire resulting from "pathos" (another greek word, that means the diseased condition of the soul). But mankind is unaware of this condition, and so he continues on in the everyday conflict of the two wills, (i.e. should I eat the double cheeseburger or have a salad instead. :)
HL, thank you for the comment and the provoking questions. I will address your questions/concerns as you raise them. If you look at the sources for evil in the world - I believe that you can find that the motivations for it span the gamut from, as you mention, humans seeking their own desires, to humans devoting themselves to sacraficing themselves for a greater purpose (others, nation, religion, God, etc.). Altruism and self-sacrafice has led to as much death and misery as the individual pursuing his own private agenda, which certainly has led to much less misery, because it's less organized. The freedom that you allude to "loving outside" of yourself does not negate the fact that this may - most certainly does - come from your self-love. Let me expalin. According to Frankfurt, the purest form of love is self-love (not self-indulgence). Because true self-love is at the heart a disinterested concern for whatever it is that you love. At its core the essence of love is the desire to love, and this is how one finds meaning in life. For example, Frankfurt points out that it is common for parents to endeavor to see that their younger children has real interests that they care about. In other words this is a recognition that a rudimentary kind of of self-love is one that "consists in a person's desire to have goals that he must accept as his own and to which he is devoted for their own sakes rather than merely for their instrumental value". Put in other words - this elementary form of love of oneself is at the core a simple desire to love. Next, you mention the very split in desires that Frankfurt says that self-love can heal. You mention the "will' of goodness, and the "self-love will" as competeing voices within you. Having this battle within you is not healthy, and can inhibit your loving the object of your choice. As Frankfurt puts it: such a person's "will is unstable and incoherent, moving him in contrary directions simultaneously or in a disorderly sequence. He suffers from a radically entrenched ambivalence, in which his will remains obstinately undefined and therefore lacks effective guiding authority”. I think we both believe the same thing, but are expressing it differently. I believe that Frankfurt is saying that through your love or yourself you can rid yourself of the ambivalence and the self-contradictory tendencies which are unhealthy, and are obstructing (potentially - or in reality) of loving. He doesn't spend a lot of time saying how this is achieved, but a love of oneself, could prompt one to rid oneself of this "radical ambivolance", which prevents one from achieving final ends (loving). Through self-love the menu choice will become clear!
Big Frank,
I hope I can sum up my final thoughts on this subject of the will and self-love. Needless to say it has been a great topic that has stretched my thinking.
Your quote from Frankfurt, "such a person's will is unstable and incoherent, moving him in contrary directions simultaneously or in a disorderly sequence. He suffers from a radically entrenched ambivalence, in which his will remains obstinately undefined and therefore lacks effective guiding authority." is excellent! This is a powerful truth and one that most of society suffers with...the ambivalence of the will which leads to so much turmoil and chaos not only within themselves, but effects those closest to them. Even Jesus says numerous times in the book of John that He came down from heaven not to do His will but the will of Him who sent Him. He knew who He was and He lived the will of His Father. I am quite confident that He did not suffer with ambivalence of the will. This is a great truth to teach our kids. Learning early on to define this "will" by which they determine to live their lives by. Now in yours and Harry's case, you have determined that "self-love" is the ultimate defining point of the direction of your will. I am aware that there are many facets to this, but it is apparent that you have contemplated the issue of what directs your will. Mine is different, but nevertheless, the important truth here is the fact that to live in a state of peace and freedom, a person must define the will that directs his or her life.
Thanks for the dialogue and the stretching of the brain and heart muscles! :)
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