Dispersing the Clouds of Temptation

In Romans 7:14-25, Paul declares, ''For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want, is what I do'' (KJV). St. Paul’s statement is a universal truth for all human beings; humans--whether Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, or atheists--are prone to committing free actions that are not ''good.'' Furthermore, and irrespective of how we might construe the notion of ''good'' (whether as acting in accordance with some religious or spiritual precept or simply doing what is in one’s best interest), we often knowingly and freely choose actions that may, or in fact do, harm us. There is a name given to such actions. We call them ''weak-willed.'' ''Weakness of will,'' or akrasia, has perplexed philosophers, theologians, and laypersons alike for centuries. This book reveals why the idea has caused so much bafflement and consternation for so many. The main thrust of the work, however, is to illuminate and inspire: Lightbody seeks to demonstrate, concretely, how and why we are weak-willed. By extracting an ''alchemical touchstone'' from Plato’s middle period philosophy, Lightbody, in addition, reveals how we may transmute harmful appetites into life-edifying passions.''Dispersing the Clouds of Temptation reminds us of what philosophy was originally meant to be: high-level conceptual thinking employed in service of real-life problems. Lightbody’s tour through the notion of akrasia doesn’t just help us understand ourselves better--it helps us become who we are meant to be.''--Neal DeRoo, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Dordt College''In this remarkable philosophical work, Brian Lightbody achieves two important scholarly aims. He brilliantly shows the central role that emotions, both positive and negative, play in the human quest of self-transformation and self-approbation. He also brings out forcefully the relevance of Plato’s dialogues for a better understanding of the bodily conditions of a virtuous, good, and rational life.''--Gabor Csepregi, Vice-President (Academic and Research), Saint Boniface UniversityBrian Lightbody is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Brock University, located in Saint Catharines, Ontario, Canada. He has published numerous articles and book chapters on such diverse thinkers as Foucault, Nietzsche, Haack, Marcuse, and Husserl, in addition to three monographs: Philosophical Genealogy: An Epistemological Reconstruction of Nietzsche and Foucault’s Genealogical Method (2 vols.) and The Problem of Naturalism: Analytic Perspectives, Continental Virtues.