You think you know what's best but do something else instead. What's going on? Plato and Aristotle had different approaches to this phenomenon of weakness of will ('akrasia' in Greek). Jessica Moss who has recently moved to New York University discusses their different approaches in this episode of the Philosphy Bites podcast.
Listen to Jessica Moss on Plato and Aristotle on Weakness of Will
Interesting set-up: knowing what's best but not doing it however...
What about knowing what's wrong and still doing it anyway? -Happens to me thinking of chess moves, I'll see a pitfall to a candidate move and discount the move going to the next but after a few considerations (and often time trouble) I sometimes end up forgetting my analysis and playing the first move implusively and then hating myself once my hand leaves the piece.
I wish I could know what's best instead of only what is clearly wrong.
Posted by: Toby | August 21, 2013 at 08:31 PM
Greetings,
I'm a first-time listener and must commend you on an outstanding show. As a novice in philosophy, I have a question regarding the comment @ 12:10. "How does a small group of philosophers create all these ideas." Ms. Moss responded, "I guess there is something in the water."
I wonder if she has been exposed to the work of Dr. George G.M. James 'Stolen Legacy'? It layouts out a possible answer to the question of the origin of the intellectual burst seen during those times.
Lucky for us it is freely distrubuted now: http://www.jpanafrican.com/ebooks/eBook%20Stolen%20Legacy.pdf
Great show keep it up!
Best,
B. Chadrick Smith
Posted by: Chadrick | August 23, 2013 at 09:58 PM