akrasia

/ əˈkreɪzɪə /

noun

1. philosophy weakness of will; acting in a way contrary to one's sincerely held moral values

Other Word Forms

• akratic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of akrasia¹

C20: from _a- ² + Greek kratos power

Example Sentences

All of them are littered with Johnson signatures: classical references like “akrasia” and good if florid jokes.

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Such examples proliferate in philosophy too: The standard example of the much-studied phenomenon of akrasia, weakness of the will, is succumbing to a cookie.

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For one thing, Grayling points out, Socrates fails to take into account “akrasia,” the Greek word for “weakness of will,” something that many of us experience when it comes to dieting, going to the gym or resisting various temptations.

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Procrastination is also derived from the ancient Greek word akrasia — doing something against our better judgment.

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Stoneking, an eccentric Australian performer who delivers a spoken-word passage in "Abulia and Akrasia."

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