Re: Desires of One's Own

[N Tasker <pia03nt@sheffield.ac.uk>]

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"The druggie's desire might be really really strong, but I'm not sure that this
shows that he is actually compelled to do it so that it is not in fact possible
for him not to take the drugs."

I'm not claiming that there are desires which are so powerful that they
necessarily move us to action regardless of how we feel about those desires, or
about the actions they would lead to. I'm making a weaker claim that there are
desires which we regard as not being truly our own. This is perfectly
compatible with the hypothesis that such desires never move us to action.
Nevertheless, I think they often do. Not as a matter of necessity, but more as
a result of weakness of will. So I never reach the conclusion which you mention
you wish to avoid:

"I don't know why but I am really keen to avoid the conclusion that there are
ever desires that we are absolutely compelled to try to satisfy, and that there
is nothing that we can do to avoid this."

I claim that if one acts on a desire, then one is only blameworthy if one is
identified with that desire. You seem to suggest that when someone acts upon a
'mental desire', they are always morally responsible for their act. What about
the kleptomaniac? The kleptomaniac certainly has mental desires, and yet I am
inclined to think that he is not blameworthy.  




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