Velleity
Encyclopedia
Velleity is the lowest degree of volition, a slight wish or tendency, inclination.
Author Bill Bryson
defined it as that "which describes a mild desire, a wish or urge too slight to lead to action."
, in Gravity's Rainbow
, described "[t]his connoisseuse of 'splendid weaknesses', run not by any lust or even velleity but by vacuum: by the absence of human hope".
The marketer Matt Bailey described it as "a desire to see something done, but not enough desire to make it happen".
Velleity may also be seen as "a slight wish not followed by any effort to obtain" an outcome. Author Howard Jacobson called it "the feeblest and most unanticipated of anticipations..."
of "velleity".
Matt Bailey expressed an attempt "to bring it back, as it has more relevance now than ever." He writes that:
, velleity is the "capacity of alternative choice" -- or the "possibility of alternative choice thereto."
Friedrich Nietzsche
describes the velleity of an artist
as a "desire to be 'what he is able to represent, conceive, and express'...." Nietsche championed the will to power, which can be encapsulated as starting with velleity, in his free will theorem
.
Keith David Wyma refers frequently to the "concept of velleity", citing Thomas Aquinas
as an originator of the idea into philosophy.
He distinguishes between the two types of velleity - "to do something and one not to do something...." Furthermore, he asserts, "The concept of velleity is also important because it enables us to understand the co-existence of conflicting values." A person could thus have "double velleity" or "a mix of velleity for something and a volition for its opposite: the latter dominates, of course, but that does not erase the fact of velleity."
Kathy Kolbe also lists velleity as a "key concept of conation."
, an inchoate offense
, such as crime of attempt
, must start with some velleity, but needs to rise beyond that level of mere intent.
Author Bill Bryson
Bill Bryson
William McGuire "Bill" Bryson, OBE, is a best-selling American author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and on science. Born an American, he was a resident of Britain for most of his adult life before moving back to the US in 1995...
defined it as that "which describes a mild desire, a wish or urge too slight to lead to action."
Examples of usage
Velleity has been defined primarily as "the lowest degree of desire or volition, with no effort to act". Thomas PynchonThomas Pynchon
Thomas Ruggles Pynchon, Jr. is an American novelist. For his most praised novel, Gravity's Rainbow, Pynchon received the National Book Award, and is regularly cited as a contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature...
, in Gravity's Rainbow
Gravity's Rainbow
Gravity's Rainbow is a postmodern novel written by Thomas Pynchon and first published on February 28, 1973.The narrative is set primarily in Europe at the end of World War II and centers on the design, production and dispatch of V-2 rockets by the German military, and, in particular, the quest...
, described "[t]his connoisseuse of 'splendid weaknesses', run not by any lust or even velleity but by vacuum: by the absence of human hope".
The marketer Matt Bailey described it as "a desire to see something done, but not enough desire to make it happen".
Velleity may also be seen as "a slight wish not followed by any effort to obtain" an outcome. Author Howard Jacobson called it "the feeblest and most unanticipated of anticipations..."
Phenomenology
Several prominent writers, philosophers, and psychologists have discussed the usefulness of the conceptConcept
The word concept is used in ordinary language as well as in almost all academic disciplines. Particularly in philosophy, psychology and cognitive sciences the term is much used and much discussed. WordNet defines concept: "conception, construct ". However, the meaning of the term concept is much...
of "velleity".
In modern writing
Bill Bryson uses velleity as a perfect example of "words [that] deserve to be better known." He argues rhetorically, "Doesn't that seem a useful term?"Matt Bailey expressed an attempt "to bring it back, as it has more relevance now than ever." He writes that:
In philosophy
In philosophyPhilosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, velleity is the "capacity of alternative choice" -- or the "possibility of alternative choice thereto."
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
describes the velleity of an artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
as a "desire to be 'what he is able to represent, conceive, and express'...." Nietsche championed the will to power, which can be encapsulated as starting with velleity, in his free will theorem
Free will theorem
The free will theorem of John H. Conway and Simon B. Kochen states that, if we have a certain amount of "free will", then, subject to certain assumptions, so must some elementary particles. Conway and Kochen's paper was published in Foundations of Physics in 2006.-Axioms:The proof of the theorem...
.
Keith David Wyma refers frequently to the "concept of velleity", citing Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
as an originator of the idea into philosophy.
In psychology
Psychologist Avi Sion writes, "Many psychological concepts may only be defined and explained with reference to velleity." (Emphasis in original.) An example he cites is that "an ordinarily desirable object can only properly be called 'interesting' or 'tempting' to that agent at that time, if he manifests some velleity...."He distinguishes between the two types of velleity - "to do something and one not to do something...." Furthermore, he asserts, "The concept of velleity is also important because it enables us to understand the co-existence of conflicting values." A person could thus have "double velleity" or "a mix of velleity for something and a volition for its opposite: the latter dominates, of course, but that does not erase the fact of velleity."
Kathy Kolbe also lists velleity as a "key concept of conation."
In criminal law
In criminal lawCriminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
, an inchoate offense
Inchoate offense
An inchoate offense, inchoate offence, or inchoate crime is the crime of preparing for or seeking to commit another crime. The most common example of an inchoate offense is conspiracy...
, such as crime of attempt
Attempt
Attempt was originally an offence under the common law of England.Attempt crimes are crimes where the defendant's actions have the form of the actual enaction of the crime itself: the actions must go beyond mere preparation....
, must start with some velleity, but needs to rise beyond that level of mere intent.