XV The Will

In his final talk, James (1899/1962) discusses the will in the narrow sense of those actions that we perform voluntarily, rather than those associated with reflex and habitual acts.  He explains that in the deliberation of the will, there are two conflicting thoughts: one that causes us to want to act and one that inhibits our action.  Our voluntary actions are a combination of these two thoughts, and it is important that students are able to make the right choices and think on their actions.

Throughout this dense chapter, James (1899/1962) slips in a perfect summary of his entire set of talks when he says “Thus are your pupils to be saved: first, by the stock of ideas with which you furnish them; second, by the amount of voluntary attention that they can exert in holding to the right ones, however unpalatable; and third, by the several habits of acting definitely on these latter to which they have been successfully trained” (p. 92).  This seems to perfectly sum up his thoughts on the matter, as well as help illustrate the bigger picture of what teachers should be infusing into their students.  Teachers are not simply supposed to fill student’s minds with knowledge. Although this is an important aspect, they should also instill in them the abilities to use this knowledge wisely and effectively.  As James (1899/1962) states, “The highest form of character, however, abstractly considered, must  be full of scruples and inhibitions.  But action, in such a character, far from being paralyzed, will succeed in energetically keeping on its way, sometimes overpowering the resistances, sometimes steering along the line where they lie thinnest” (pp. 87-88).  Learning how to make the right decisions and use our knowledge effectively is an important and difficult notion to attain, and I hope that what I’ve learned from James and what I will learn from the other theorists whom we will discuss in class can help me better understand how we learn and how I can apply this to my career.