29. What determines the will.
Thirdly, the will being nothing but a power in the mind to direct the operative
faculties of a man to motion or rest, as far as they depend on such direction; to the question, What is it determines
the will? the true and proper answer is, The mind. For that which determines the general power of directing, to
this or that particular direction, is nothing but the agent itself exercising the power it has that particular way. If
this answer satisfies not, it is plain the meaning of the question, What determines the will? is this,--What moves
the mind, in every particular instance, to determine its general power of directing, to this or that particular motion
or rest? And to this I answer,--The motive for continuing in the same state or action, is only the present
satisfaction in it; the motive to change is always some uneasiness: nothing setting us upon the change of state, or
upon any new action, but some uneasiness. This is the great motive that works on the mind to put it upon action,
which for shortness' sake we will call determining of the will, which I shall more at large explain.
