Volition and Free Will

Probably one of the most debated topics throughout human history is the issue of free will. At the heart of our humanity, what distinguishes us from other forms of life, is whether or not people have free will. For the sake of the Sojourner's Life program, the issue of the will is approached by distinguishing between free will and volition. Some resources use the two interchangeably, as meaning the same thing. I support that free will is not the same as volition. It is important to distinguish between the two because how we apply our "will" to many of the decisions we confront has consequences for our success or failure in life and can also impact the lives of others.

Volition: The faculty or power of using one's will. The power to make your own decisions. The application of one's personal power regarding the decision process relying on the application of personal discipline and delayed gratification.

Free Will: Sense of freedom. The power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate. The ability to act out one's own discretion. The decision process relies more on feelings and emotions for immediate gratification.

For The Sojourner's Life program, these definitions will be used to distinguish between Volition and Free Will.

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