Akrasia: The Failures of Action

It’s been called many things: incontinence, procrastination, weakness-of-will, and akrasia. Akrasia is a mystery: you know what to do, you know it’s good, but you just can’t seem to get yourself to do it. Normally you expect your actions to follow your intentions. You intend to raise your arm, and it rises. The experience of akrasia reveals that there’s a gap. You intend to start your work, and…