II: Causal Explanation of Volition & Satisfactory Segue Into Art

There are many other writers who have handled this subject systematically—and I'd recommend those authors (I mentioned them in the last post on the subject.) This is more for fun.

Volition: Ability to choose between two or more alternatives. Choice: The selection of an action out of two or more possible actions. Volitional consciousness: All consciousnesses have volition to some extent, the reason is because consciousness is awareness of the world, and any apprehension of reality requires volition. Law of Causation: The action of an entity is in accordance with its identity. Combining these concepts gives us the following causal explanation of volitional action: An entity of volition acts upon its knowledge reality through manipulation of causal mechanisms to meet a purpose; or, the manipulation of “final cause.”

For example, I exercised volitional-causation when I was younger (whenever my dad showed me his ground school books from college and showed me how to play the very first Microsoft flight simulator ever made) and decided I wanted to fly for a living—and that I wanted to be a military pilot and fly fighter/attack jets. I selected a central purpose for myself when several other viable life purposes were available. I was unsure of how to become a military pilot—I asked around and read the world book encyclopedia numerous times to gain knowledge of how this could be done. I confirmed from several sources (including my father, a US Navy vet) that a college education was needed. I decided then to go to college. Later in life I learned that the US Navy did not guarantee fighter jets to people—and that it is a risk to join them with aspirations to fly fighters like the F-14 or F-18. From this I learned something I hadn't known before—this knowledge increased my volitional efficacy. So I decided to learn more about other services—the best way to get into the USAF and fly their fighters is to join ROTC or the USAF Academy. I did not like being controlled—I didn't like required PT three times a week, regulation hair and face, wearing a damned uniform (I got sick of these things from CAP.) So I decided not to join ROTC. I also wanted to do some writing and perhaps try being a chef, and I'd also want to travel on my own time. By this time I learned about the Air National Guard, and that one can be a part-time or a full-time fighter pilot. This has come to be the best fit for me—I also learned that mathematics was important, and so I've studied that.

None of these things can happen WITHOUT a volitional consciousness. Values cannot exist or be achieved without volition. Our lives hinge on volition and our use of it.

Art is the subject dealing with evaluative abstractions—as opposed to “cognitive” abstractions. This is basically like the “is-ought gap.” Example: Non-fiction books deal with the “is”—fiction deals with the “ought.”

Values exist in relation to volition, thus volition is the point of divergence on art. The art which is predominantly opposed to the idea of volition can be classified as naturalism—art which is for volition is classified as romanticism.

Next time I shall address the aesethetic importance of causality. But until then, have a good time, ladies and gentlemen.