ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the cases that can reasonably be regarded as cases of weakness of will, or at least cases that involve some defect or idiosyncrasy of will, and that project of course forces to analyse the notion of the will. Without any of the earlier references to violent emotion, or to a loss of control, the political analogy suggests the following, quite different, picture of human action. As with all legislative bodies, however, the passing of the decree does not of itself guarantee appropriate action, and action is possible only if there is a further faculty or department or agency which has a purely executive role. The chapter explores the view that the will is best thought of as in some sense an agency or faculty or department of the mind, for it believes that there is no other plausible way of analysing rational choice.
