SOCIOLOGY AND FREE-WILL 



complex and variable in their mutual combina- 

 tions and oppositions, are simultaneously oper- 

 ative. But however numerous or complicated 

 the forces at work, from whatever source the 

 motives to action or inaction arise, whatever be 

 the nature of the incentives to one kind of con- 

 duct or to some other kind, it is equally true 

 that the result depends upon their comparative 

 strength. Indeed since forces can be measured 

 only by their effects, to say that of two conflict- 

 ing motives one is followed by volition, is to 

 call that motive the stronger one. " Our only 

 evidence of excess of force is the movement 

 it produces ; " and when the ancient engineer 

 wished to ascertain the comparative power of a 

 couple of catapults, he had no alternative but 

 to see which would hurl its stone to the greater 

 distance. To say explicitly that volition does 

 not follow the strongest motive, is to say im- 

 plicitly that motion does not always follow the 

 line of least resistance ; which is to deny the 

 persistence of force. 



Volition being accordingly regarded as the 

 process whereby feeling initiates action, it be- 

 comes evident that the term " free " is no more 

 applicable to it than the term " copper col- 

 oured." As Mr. Bain observes, " The designa- 

 tion ' liberty of choice ' has no real meaning, 

 except as denying extraneous interference. If I 

 am interfered with by another person compel- 

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