What of my favorite arguments for the freedom of the will. Harry G. Frankfurt's essay Freedom of the Will presents a profound exploration of what distinguishes humans from other creatures: the ability to engage in reflective self-evaluation. Frankfurt introduces the concept of second-order desires—those desires where one not only wants or chooses something but also wishes to want or reject certain desires themselves. This capacity to form second-order volitions, or the desire for specific desires to govern one’s actions, is what Frankfurt identifies as essential to being a person. Unlike "wantons," who act on their strongest impulses without reflecting on their desirability, a true person actively engages in shaping their will according to higher-order desires, thereby exercising true freedom of the will.

Frankfurt further argues that this reflective capacity is crucial for achieving genuine autonomy. A person who fails to align their will with their second-order volitions may feel estranged from themselves, like a passive bystander rather than an active participant in their own life.

Excellent read!