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Definition

Akrasia refers to the phenomenon of acting against one's better judgment—the state in which one intentionally performs an action while simultaneously believing that a different course of action would be better. Sometimes translated as "weakness of will" or "incontinence," akrasia describes the paradoxical human experience of knowingly choosing what one judges to be the inferior option. However, are compelling arguments on why we should leave the term 'akrasia' untranslated. None of the English translations or direct Greek translation(s) are perfectly suitable.

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