The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 05 (of 11) — Thomas Hobbes — John Shaqi
The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 05 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
themselves, and could speak one to another, which is very improper in
searching the truth of the question: you may observe first, that to
compel a voluntary act is nothing else but to will it. For it is all one
to say, my will commands the shutting of mine eyes or the doing of any
other action, and to say, I have the will to shut mine eyes. So that
_actus imperatus_ here, might as easily have been said in English, _a
voluntary action_, but that they that invented the term understood not
any thing it signified. Secondly you may observe, that _actus elicitus_
is exemplified by these words, to will, to elect, to choose, which are
all one; and so to will is here made an act of the will; and indeed, as
the will is a faculty or power of a man’s soul, so to will is an act of
it according to that power. But as it is absurdly said, that to dance is
an act allured or drawn by fair means out of the ability to dance; so it
is also to say, that to will is an act allured or drawn out of the power
to will, which power is commonly called the will. Howsoever it be, the
sum of his distinction is, that a voluntary act may be done on
compulsion, that is to say, by foul means; but to will that or any act
cannot be but by allurement or fair means. Now, seeing fair means,
allurements, and enticements, produce the action which they do produce
as necessarily as threatening and foul means, it follows, that to will
may be made as necessary as any thing that is done by compulsion. So
that the distinction of _actus imperatus_, and _actus elicitus_, are but
words, and of no effect against necessity.