[MD] Free Will-iam James

[david buchanan]

Marsha asked dmb:
Does James's definition of free will conform to the the standard dictionary definition?  If it does, why did we need all these quotes and explain it?


dmb says:
Your question is predicated on a misconception. Dictionaries can only tell us if we're using words properly. They were never designed or intended to be philosophical guidebooks. It's just that philosophical terms have definitions and they should be used properly, just like any other term. 
James certainly knew what the terms meant (Free Will and Determinism) and he had abundant talent in the word department. (Some people say he was more of a literary genius that his brother Henry, the novelist.) On top of that, the importance of using terms properly is built right into his philosophical outlook, as the last of the quotes said quite explicitly. (Cain and Abel)
Proper use of terms is a necessary but insufficient condition of doing philosophical work. You cannot reason without definitions but they aren't enough all by themselves. As Pirsig said, "definitions are the foundation of reason". Using the right word or term is only the beginning of careful thought. Let me know when you're ready to get started.