On the Topical Issues of the Theory of Volition

Abstract

This essay has a polemic character. It refers to the questions arisen in D. Nadirashvili’s article ‘The phenomenon of volition from the contemporary perspective of set theory’ published in vol. XXII of Psychology. The present work aims to clarify a certain set of issues: Meaning of ‘contemporary perspectives’, validity of the author’s analysis of basic problems of volition which are connected with the source of volitional behavior, the difference between impulsive and volitional behavior, levels and types of activity, the set mechanism proposed for their regulation, freedom of will, the category of regularity in general, etc.