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Objection 1: It would seem that the will does not move itself. For
every mover, as such, is in act: whereas what is moved, is in
potentiality; since "movement is the act of that which is in
potentiality, as such" [Aristotle, Phys. iii, 1]. Now the
same is not in potentiality and in act, in respect of the same.
Therefore nothing moves itself. Neither, therefore, can the will
move itself.
Objection 2: Further, the movable is moved on the mover being
present. But the will is always present to itself. If, therefore,
it moved itself, it would always be moving itself, which is clearly
false.
Objection 3: Further, the will is moved by the intellect, as
stated above (Article 1). If, therefore, the will move itself,
it would follow that the same thing is at once moved immediately by two
movers; which seems unreasonable. Therefore the will does not move
itself.
On the contrary, The will is mistress of its own act, and to it
belongs to will and not to will. But this would not be so, had it not
the power to move itself to will. Therefore it moves itself.
I answer that, As stated above (Article 1), it belongs to the
will to move the other powers, by reason of the end which is the
will's object. Now, as stated above (Question 8, Article 2),
the end is in things appetible, what the principle is in things
intelligible. But it is evident that the intellect, through its
knowledge of the principle, reduces itself from potentiality to act,
as to its knowledge of the conclusions; and thus it moves itself.
And, in like manner, the will, through its volition of the end,
moves itself to will the means.
Reply to Objection 1: It is not in respect of the same that the
will moves itself and is moved: wherefore neither is it in act and in
potentiality in respect of the same. But forasmuch as it actually
wills the end, it reduces itself from potentiality to act, in respect
of the means, so as, in a word, to will them actually.
Reply to Objection 2: The power of the will is always actually
present to itself; but the act of the will, whereby it wills an end,
is not always in the will. But it is by this act that it moves
itself. Accordingly it does not follow that it is always moving
itself.
Reply to Objection 3: The will is moved by the intellect,
otherwise than by itself. By the intellect it is moved on the part of
the object: whereas it is moved by itself, as to the exercise of its
act, in respect of the end.
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