De la volonté

by Marguerite Duportal

"De la volonté" by Marguerite Duportal is a philosophical treatise written in the late 19th century. The work explores the concept of will, arguing against the common perception that some individuals lack volition. The author seeks to affirm that every person possesses the same intrinsic capacity for will, asserting that the challenges associated with exerting will are often misunderstood. The opening of "De la volonté" dedicates the text to those who believe they lack willpower or possess only a weak form of it. Duportal asserts that this belief is a profound error, emphasizing that every individual has the potential for strong will analogous to that of great historical figures, like Napoleon. She critiques prevalent notions of willfulness and weakness, proposing that perceived deficiencies arise not from a lack of will but from misunderstandings about the nature and exercise of will itself. This exploration leads to a philosophical inquiry into the mechanisms of will, its dependencies, and the moral implications of exercising it.