Voluntarism. What is it in politics, in psychology and philosophy?

Voluntarism. What does this mean? Translated from Latin, the word voluntas is a form of political activity of a subject that relies on desires and aspirations and ignores the objective concepts of political life. Voluntarists consider politics a process of making spontaneous decisions that are not based on a program of activities.

Voluntarism - what is it? This concept is typical for politicians with a linear movement of thought and action, which tend to embellish due, but largely unattainable. It is for this reason that voluntarism, like the current in politics, causes significant damage to political integration and consolidation and is in general a destructive force.

What does the word "voluntarism" mean in politics?

Political voluntarism originates from external determinants of social development. But mainly in the alienation of the people, social groups and strata from the activities of politicians and authorities, the roots of such a course as voluntarism are. What is this, if not the extreme expression of ethical relativism, based on the moral freedom of man? The term "voluntarism" was first mentioned by the German sociologist Tennis in the 19th century. But voluntaristic ideas in ethics were put forward earlier. As the contradictions between man and society increased, the understanding of voluntarism became more widespread.

The word "voluntarism" in psychology and philosophy

This current in philosophy and psychology opposes the volitional principle to reason and the objective laws of society and nature. In fact, voluntarism affirms the independence of the human will from reality, idealizes the role of the individual in history and how it affects the world around him. The idea of the current can be traced back to the Middle Ages. But the concept of "voluntarism" in psychology appeared only at the end of the XIX century thanks to Wundt V. - German psychologist, physician and physiologist.

There are the following types of voluntarism in psychology:

• Limited to the recognition that the will is a qualitatively unique phenomenon among other psychological processes;
• Asserting that all other psychological processes and phenomena, voluntarism, are based on the will-that this will is the primary ability that depends exclusively on the subject and has no objective grounds.

Supporters of voluntarism

According to the German philosopher and psychologist Wundt, psychic causality is expressed in a willful act, in particular, in apperception. Philosopher and psychologist James argued that for human actions there is an unconditional volitional decision. German psychologist Munsterberg G. believed that the will prevails over the rest of the psychological processes. His ideas were supported by other Western psychologists of that time. They did not cease to preach that man has the ability to choose the goal and ways to achieve it. In this case, voluntarism acts as an effect of an action that stands behind acts of a particular spiritual essence.