voltimist

Voltimist is a term used in philosophy to describe a person who emphasizes volition—the will—as the primary source of causal influence in human action. In this usage, voltimists often champion forms of libertarian free will or agent-causal theories, arguing that deliberate choices originate in the agent rather than being wholly determined by prior events or by random neural processes. The label is informal and used across diverse theoretical options, without a single, accepted doctrine that all voltimists share.

Relation to other theories: Voltimists are typically contrasted with determinists and compatibilists in debates about free will and moral responsibility. While determinists hold that every action is determined by preceding conditions, and compatibilists redefine freedom within determinism, voltimists maintain that some actions arise from the will in a non-deterministic sense, allowing genuine alternatives and responsibility. The term also overlaps with voluntarism in ethics and theology, though not all voluntarists identify as voltimists.

Criticism and discussion: Critics question the empirical plausibility and coherence of a robust will as a primary causal agent, citing neuroscience and the challenge of locating a non-physical source of agency. Proponents respond that the will serves as a legitimate explanatory primitive or agent-causal force that can initiate action independently of distal causes, and that such a stance can sustain intuitive judgments of responsibility. The exact scope and semantics of volition remain a matter of ongoing philosophical debate.