The Ego as Cause

same or otherwise with the choice between alternatives? Does identically the same ego, without any further modification or qualification, choose to steal a loaf of bread that would also have chosen to go hungry? If yes, then how does the Neo-libertarian differ from the old-fashioned indifferentist ? If no, how does he differ from a determinist — from a determinist that is, who sees that the introduction of this further modification is simply a further step in the concrete analysis of the act? Be it remembered, it is not a cause for volition in general which is wanted; it is a cause for this volition rather than that: for choosing hunger rather than dishonesty. The old-fashioned indifferentist has an answer before which I stand rebuked. He, I imagine, would exclaim: " What, do you think to catch me in this easy way? When I tell you that the essence of freedom is the ability to choose either a or b without any further cause, am I supposed to be so simple as at once to contradict myself by attempting to assign a cause? " I should not know what the indifferentist means, but his meaning (if there be any meaning) would at least be self-consistent. But when I am told both that freedom consists in the ability of an independent ego to choose between alternatives, and that the [p. 339] reference to ego the meets the scientific demand with reference to the principle of causation, I feel as if I were being gratuitously fooled with. My libertarian informant must know as well as myself that the question is concerning motivation as to choice; if there is adequate statement for the choice of a rather than b, surely there is determinism; if there is not, surely there is freedom of indifference. The power of attention is now the favorite philoso-pher's resort. Putting the question in terms of attention: is there any reason in the conditions of the case, any specific or assignable reason, why attention gives its little boost to this side rather than to that? any assignable condition on the basis of which it gives a jog in this direction rather than in that? As I understand the matter, the whole question lies here: In considering the relation of attention to a given choice, can we (or if foiled in a given instance are we still to try) carry back …