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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Will in Early Modern Philosophy

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Early modern philosophy inherited from the Middle Ages various very elaborate concepts of the will. It seems that little philosophical depth was added to the analyses of these concepts during this period. Rather, it is characteristic of the early modern discussions that traditional distinctions and theories were re-evaluated in new contexts, among which the mechanical approach to natural philosophy is of particular importance. Many philosophers were opposed to what was called ‘scholastic subtlety’, and defended instead very straightforward theories of the will.