Jonathan Edwards' Definition of the Will

The nature of the human will, and more especially the influences on it, are subjects which have spawned a great deal of debate throughout the history of Christian theology. Consequently, I will be keeping an eye out for various definitions of the concept of human will.

Following is Jonathan Edward's definition, as provided on pages 4 and 5 of "The Works of Jonathan Edwards", Vol. 1 (Hendrickson Publishers), within the specific work "A Careful and Strict Inquiry into the Modern Prevailing Notions of that Freedom of Will..." (the full title is rather long):

I observe, that the Will (without any metaphysical refining) is, That by which the mind chooses any thing. The faculty of the Will, is that power, or principle of mind, by which it is capable of choosing: an act of the Will is the same as an act of choosing or choice.

If any think it is a more perfect definition of the Will, to say, that it is that by which the soul either chooses or refuses; I am content with it: though I think it enough to say, It is that by which the soul chooses: for in every act of Will whatsoever, the mind chooses one thing rather than another; it chooses something rather than the contrary, or rather than the want or non-existence of that thing. So in every act of refusal, the mind chooses the absence of the thing refused; the positive and the negative are set before the mind for its choice, and it chooses the negative; and the mind's making its choice in that case is properly the act of the Will: the Will's determining between the two, is a voluntary determination; but that is the same thing as making a choice. So that by whatever names we call the act of the Will, choosing, refusing, approving, disapproving, liking, disliking, embracing, rejecting, determining, directing, commanding, forbidding, inclining, or being averse, being pleased or displeased with; all may be reduced to this of choosing. For the soul to act voluntarily, is evermore to act electively.

In summary, Edwards defines the will as some thing "by which the mind chooses any thing". This definition is straightforward, and natural. However, by itself it seems incomplete, as the are a number of things alleged to fulfill such a role for the human mind: for example, the materialist might consider chemical reactions to be the mechanism which drives the choices of the human mind, while a dualist might point to some kind of spiritual substance which is ultimately not coerced by material events.

However, it should be noted that this is only the beginning of Edwards' long discussion on the subject of human will. And so concerned students have ample material for clarifying Edwards' definition.