Sometimes, of course, what we want or feel is within our control. But that is only ever true because we can, to a degree, influence what we want or feel through our prior actions. You can, for example, increase your desire for food by taking a run; or you can reduce pain by applying ointment, or by deliberately concentrating your mind on last year’s holiday, and so forth. Your direct control of your actions can, through the effect of your actions on passive occurrences such as wants and feelings, give you some indirect control over these wants and feelings as well. Your control over our actions extends to give you control over those actions’ consequences too. But your freedom is still ultimately a freedom of action. Freedom is always exercised through action – through what we deliberately do or refrain from doing – and through action alone. This tight connection between freedom and action is very important. It means that to und...
Publishes eclectic topics on human worldviews; Marketing including desires; needs, wants; aspirations, choices, preferences, lifestyles, behaviours, values; social constructions, trends, culture, politics, religions, ---- and ultimately human perspectives. John teaches online at the Ransford Global Institute: https://ransford.yolasite.com/