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:: COMPARE ::

VelleityvsVolition

The short answer

Volition is will that moves the body. Velleity is will that never leaves the chair. They're the same faculty measured at opposite ends — which is why Locke could call velleity simply the lowest degree of desire rather than a different thing entirely.

Side by side

AspectVelleityVolition
Produces actionNoYes
Locke's phraseLowest degree of desire
Can be deferredNothing to deferYes
Same facultyYesYes

Which one you meant

Readers who land here meaning Velleity rather than Volition are usually searching for phrases like “word for wanting something but doing nothing”, “velleity meaning”, “faint desire word”.

Velleity

  • word for wanting something but doing nothing
  • velleity meaning
  • faint desire word
  • is velleity a real word

Read either one in full