It’s probably false (though maybe useful?) to say “akrasia is just an excuse.” But, at least for me and my most common akratic actions, excusability is definitely a factor.
Let’s say I can take three actions:
Answer emails, which benefits (society/my employer and coworkers/other people who are relying on me/me in a long-term way) and is also very boring and frustrating.
Read a book, which benefits me in the short and long term and is mildly positive for the rest of the world (in the sense that it makes me smarter in the long run and less cranky in the short run.)
Doomscroll, which makes me miserable and dumber, and is thereby also mildly negative for the rest of the world.
Reading a book should dominate doomscrolling. However, reading a book is also legibly, deliberatively nonproductive and selfish, while I could say “oops I meant to answer emails but I got distracted doomscrolling,” including to myself.
A belief is for saying something true, not for being useful. A plan is for being useful, not for saying something true. There can be true things relevant to a plan, and useful things that uncover what’s true.
It’s probably false (though maybe useful?) to say “akrasia is just an excuse.” But, at least for me and my most common akratic actions, excusability is definitely a factor.
Let’s say I can take three actions:
Answer emails, which benefits (society/my employer and coworkers/other people who are relying on me/me in a long-term way) and is also very boring and frustrating.
Read a book, which benefits me in the short and long term and is mildly positive for the rest of the world (in the sense that it makes me smarter in the long run and less cranky in the short run.)
Doomscroll, which makes me miserable and dumber, and is thereby also mildly negative for the rest of the world.
Reading a book should dominate doomscrolling. However, reading a book is also legibly, deliberatively nonproductive and selfish, while I could say “oops I meant to answer emails but I got distracted doomscrolling,” including to myself.
A belief is for saying something true, not for being useful. A plan is for being useful, not for saying something true. There can be true things relevant to a plan, and useful things that uncover what’s true.