Typically human capacity for which something is done or not done
The will is one of the psychological traits of human beings, which to a large extent will agree to determine their actions, not only knowing them but also intentionally directing themselves towards the end that each one proposes.. Basically it is the faculty that people have to do or not do something.
An act will be considered voluntary when it is exercised without any type of coercion, and its consequences can be clearly understood.
Without the presence of the will, individuals would be unable to do what we really need and much less could we achieve what we plan.
Association with freedom
We must also say that the human will is closely linked to freedom because what is chosen by personal decision will not be forced by an external stimulus. A young person who decides not to attend university any more because he did not agree with the proposed study program will be acting of his own will, and of course he will assert the freedom he has as an adult individual to choose what works for him and what he wants. no. Meanwhile, if the decision to abandon the degree is not by your own will and decision but is influenced by the pressure from your family to study another career, then, here, there will not only be no freedom but also someone will be coercing you. and not respecting their decision.
Phases of the voluntary act
The voluntary act consists of three moments: conscious deliberation of the reasons that lead to action, decision to put the act in question into practice, execution and assumption of responsibilities.
The look of philosophy
In addition, the will has been and is one of the concepts most debated by Philosophy, for example, the Aristotelian-Thomist philosophy supposes that it is a faculty of the soul, on the other hand, psychology considers it as a mental capacity that they hold humans. But this does not end here, since Shopenhauer referred to the will to live in which individuals find their motivations in the fact of sustaining and developing their own existences. Nietzsche, on the other hand, spoke of the will to power, as the force that drives life to expand and dominate other wills, leading to the engine of the universe.
Law: legal capacity to dispose of something
On the other hand, In the field of law, the will is the legal ability to want to dispose of something and it turns out to be one of the basic requirements for the existence of legal acts. The vices of the will in this sense are those that make lawful acts, such as contracts, voidable.
Effort and courage, good will and dedication to achieve a goal
Another use of the term is to refer effort and courage.
Also, when a person has a good predisposition and dedication when it comes to achieving some goal or objective, it is spoken of the very good will that he possesses. And if on the contrary, it lacks effort, it speaks of little will or apathy.
On the other hand, it is common for us to find the expression willpower in our language, which is popularly used to indicate the ability of a person to overcome that desire that can generate a harmful consequence in their existence, or also to some unexpected misfortune.
With an example we will see better, a person addicted to tobacco and who smokes several packs a day, decides from one day to the next to stop smoking and succeeds. This will be called willpower, there was no treatment or the use of any drug to do it, but strength and the own desire to do it prevailed.
Of course, willpower is widely valued by the social collective because it almost always involves difficult, arduous issues that can be overcome with personal effort.
Synonym of mandate
And we also tend to use the concept a lot as a synonym of mandate or order that someone gives or leaves to be fulfilled. "Maria decided to comply with her father's will and sell the shares of the company." "Mom respected my will and so she didn't insist on celebrating my birthday."
