Akrasia (Weakness of Will)
conceptThe philosophical problem of knowing what is right but doing wrong anyway — weakness of will in the face of temptation.
The Myth
Akrasia — literally lacking command over oneself — was one of the most debated problems in Greek philosophy. How can a person know what is right and still choose what is wrong? Socrates denied it was possible: if you truly know the good, you will do it. Apparent akrasia is just ignorance in disguise. Aristotle disagreed, arguing in the Nicomachean Ethics that passion can overwhelm knowledge temporarily — a person in the grip of desire retains their knowledge only in the way a sleeping person or a drunk retains it, unable to deploy it effectively. This debate has run for 2,400 years without resolution. In mythology, akrasia appears constantly: Odysseus's crew opening the bag of winds despite knowing the stakes, Phaethon insisting on driving the sun chariot despite his father's warnings, Pandora opening the jar despite being told not to. The Greeks understood that knowing better and doing better are tragically different capacities.
Fun Fact
Socrates thought weakness of will was impossible — if you truly know what is good, you will always do it.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth:
Explore Further
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Pan
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Pandora
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Phaethon
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