The Source of Inclination, of no Consequence to the present Inquiry.—2. It is evident, furthermore, that freedom has nothing to do with the source of my inclinations, any more than with their strength. It makes no difference what causes my preference, or whether any thing causes it. I have a preference, an inclination, a disposition to do a given thing, and put forth a given volition—am disposed to do it, and can do it—then I am free, my will is free. It is of no consequence how I came by that inclination or disposition. The simple question is, Am I at liberty to follow it?
The Interference must be from without, and must affect the Choice.—It is evident, moreover, according to what has now been said, that if there be really any restraint upon the will, or lack of freedom in its movements, it must proceed from something extraneous, outside the will itself, something which comes in from without, and that in such a way as to interfere, in some way with my choice; for it is there that the element of freedom lies. But whatever interferes with my choice, interferes with my willing at all; the act is no longer a voluntary act. Choice is essential to volition, the very element of it. In order to an act of will as we have seen, there must be liberty to choose, deliberation, actual preference. Volition presupposes them, and is based on them. Whatever prevents them, prevents volition. Whatever places me in such a state of mind that I have no preference at all, no choice, as to any given thing, places me in such a state that I have also no volition as to that thing. The question of freedom is forestalled in such a case, becomes absurd. Where there is no volition, there is of course no freedom of volition, nor yet any want of freedom. Freedom of will is power to will as I like, but now I have no liking, no preference.
The Supposition varied.—But suppose now that I am not prevented from choosing, but only from carrying out my choice in actual volition; from willing, according to my choice. Then, also, the act is no longer properly a volition, an act of will, for one essential element of every such act, viz., choice, is wanting. I have a choice, indeed, but it is not here, not represented in this so-called volition, lies in another direction, is, in fact, altogether opposed to this, my so-called volition. There can be no such volition. The human mind is a stranger to any such phenomenon, and if it did occur, it would not be volition, not an act of the will, not a voluntary act. Whatever, then, comes in, either to prevent my choosing, or to prevent my exercising volition according to my choice, does, in fact, prevent my willing at all. If there be an act of the will, it is, in its very nature, a free act, and cannot be otherwise. Allow me to choose, and to put forth volition according to my choice, and you leave me free. Prevent this, and you prevent my willing at all.
The Limitation, as usually regarded, not really one.—Those who contend that the will is not free, place the limitation back of the choice. Choice is governed by inclination, they say, and inclination depends on circumstances, on education, habits, fashion, etc., things, in great measure, beyond our control; and while these circumstances remain the same, a man cannot choose otherwise than he does. To this I reply, that, as we have already seen, the will is strictly and properly free, provided nothing interferes with, and prevents, our putting forth such volitions as we choose to put forth. Is there, then, any thing in these circumstances which are supposed to control our choice, and to be so fatal to our freedom, is there in them any thing which really interferes with, or prevents our willing as we choose? Does the fact that I am inclined, and strongly so, to a given choice, prevent me from putting forth that choice in the shape of executive volition? So far from this, that inclination is the very circumstance that leads to my doing it. All that could possibly be contended, is that the supposed inclination to a given choice is likely to prevent my having some other and different choice. But that has nothing to do with the question of the freedom of my will, which depends, as we have seen, not on the power to choose otherwise than one is inclined, or than one likes, but as he likes. What force, I ask again, is there in any circumstance, or combination of circumstances, which go to mould and shape my inclinations and my disposition, and have no further power over me, what force in them, or what tendency, to prevent my willing as I choose, as I like, as I am inclined? Nay, if my will acts at all, it must, as I have shown, act in this way, and therefore act freely.
Freedom of Inclination not Freedom of Will.—But suppose I have no power to like, or to be inclined, differently from what I do like, and am now inclined? I reply, it matters not as to the present question. The supposition now made, takes away or limits, not the freedom of the will, it does not touch that; but the freedom of the affections. Can I like what I do not like—and can I put forth such volitions as I please or choose—are two distinct questions, and again I repeat that the freedom of our will depends, not on our having this or that particular choice, but on our being able to carry out whatever choice we do make into our volitions; not on our being able to will otherwise than we choose, nor yet on our ability to choose otherwise than we do, but simply on our being able to will as we choose, whatever that choice may be.
Are the Sensibilities Free.—Have I, in reality, however, any freedom of the affections, any power under given circumstances, to be affected otherwise than I am, to feel otherwise than I do? I reply, the affections are not elements of the will, are not under its immediate control; are not strictly voluntary. It depends on a great variety of circumstances, what, in any given case, your affections or inclinations may be. You have no power of will directly over them. You can modify and shape them, only by shaping your own voluntary action so far as that bears upon their formation. By shaping your CHARACTER which IS under your control, you may, in a manner, at least, determine the nature and degree of the emotions which will arise, under given circumstances, in your bosom.
The two Questions entirely distinct.—But, however that may be, it has nothing to do, I repeat, with the question now under discussion. The freedom of the affections, and the freedom of the will, are by no means the same thing. We have already seen that there may be a fixed and positive connection between my inclinations and my choice, and so my will, and yet my will be perfectly free. This is the main thing to be settled; and there seems to be no need of further argument to establish this point; and if this be so, it decides the question as to the freedom of the will.
Bearing of this View upon the divine Government.—The view now taken, leaves it open and quite in the power of Providence, so to shape circumstances, guide events, and so to array, and bring to bear on the mind of man, motives and inducements to any given course, as virtually to control and determine his conduct, by controlling and determining his inclinations, and so his choice; while, at the same time, the man is left perfectly free to put forth such volitions as he pleases, and to do as he likes. There can be no higher liberty than this. To this point I shall again revert, when the question comes up respecting the divine agency in connection with human freedom.