I’m not convinced that this amounts to practical advice. As you eloquently argue, the whole problem of akrasia is being unduly influenced by immediate consequences. The way I would put it is that immediate consequences act like a drug that distorts your decision-making. So “change your reference point” sounds like “don’t be influenced by this drug”. Easier said than done!
I’m not convinced that this amounts to practical advice. As you eloquently argue, the whole problem of akrasia is being unduly influenced by immediate consequences. The way I would put it is that immediate consequences act like a drug that distorts your decision-making. So “change your reference point” sounds like “don’t be influenced by this drug”. Easier said than done!
There’s a parallel debate about this going on here: http://lesswrong.com/lw/33s/antiakrasia_reprise/
PS: Here’s a link to a pdf of the chapter “The Intimate Contest for Self-command” from Schelling’s book: http://www.nationalaffairs.com/public_interest/detail/the-intimate-contest-for-self-command I believe that chapter subsumes his seminal 1978 AER article on Egonomics: http://www.jstor.org/pss/1816707
To me it sounds like “Switch to a different drug that’s better for you”.