The thematic purpose of this writing relates to the observation of the divergent, pragmatic existence of “agency,” or, otherwise stated, the personal ability to volitionally, act. The erudite, plentitude of metaphysical controversy and philosophical debates carried on for millennia on the didactic subject of “Free Will,” between followers of thinkers such as Plato, Aquinas, Descartes, and Emmanuel Kant has been electively, set aside in favor of our present, pragmatic treatment of the subject, Thus, in harmony with said contextual purpose, we have chosen the contemporarily, equivalent noun, “Agency.”
Our chosen circumscribed, context relates to an individual’s perception of control, felt or experienced in his lifetime, regarding his (evolving) capacity to determine his thoughts and behavior with independent facility, i.e., “in the driver’s seat.” It, bizarrely, appears that in our chosen consideration of this contextually defined concept, the alphabetic letter “A,” predominates, viz., “ability,” “aptitude,” “agency,” and “adjustment.”
In several of our past writings, we have placed determined emphasis on the quintessentially important, (experiential) development of an individual’s stable “self -image;” the same being the current configuration, of the classic Socratic admonition, “Know thyself,” expressed in the modern parlance. We have often declared that In addition to its ubiquitous, referential utility respecting decisional choices in times of equivocal moral or ethical issues, such awareness is judgmentally significant in the perceived nature of our known capabilities,(i.e., our singular aptitude, innate abilities) and equally useful, our failings. This, pragmatically, translates into the presence of experientially, confirmed confidence or sensibly determined reservation.
We cannot, universally, aspire to be a replication of Isaac Newton, Rene Descartes, or, perhaps, Joe DiMaggio. We are wise to remain knowledgeably aware of our nuanced menu of strengths, some of which are empirically developed, and our revealed innate weaknesses, both conceivably, founded in nuanced aptitudes. Objective self-knowledge is the effective panacea for irrational and unwarranted feelings of situational weakness or self-reproval. Notwithstanding our diverse and nuanced capabilities, continued education, and empirical experience can inform understanding or skills, sufficient to match reasonable expectations. Moreover, it must, fairly and rationally be realized, that the dynamics of “agency,” may be situationally determined.
In such context, we have chosen to exclude artificial considerations of rank or official position, but, do relegate the concept of agency, to the varied capability that situationally accompanies such matters as family, state of health, and old age. Such configurations of agency, will, predictably, vary with the situational circumstance. In the mainstream traditional family, the extent of permissible assertion of independent agency depends on family hierarchy, viz., parents, uncles and aunts, and children. An analogous hierarchy prevails in primary education, relative to teachers, principals, and later on, professors and college deans. In the employment context, an employee’s agency is authoritatively defined by his supervisor, department chief, or employer. In the unfortunate setting of the sick and disabled, the extent of the personal dynamics of individual agency varies in accordance with the relevant condition or empirical need.
With an appropriate apology, we will, (for the first time in 999 essays, except for our, reader- requested, writings on our ethnic childhood) make brief reference to the illustrative circumstances of our current, modified agency, as an instructive example of the universal, situational loss of agency, common to elderly individuals.
Fortuitously, and appreciatively, free of illness, but beset with a common iteration of loss of agency, situationally commensurate with our (fortunate) attainment of the age of 87, we have successfully accommodated ourselves to the natural vicissitudes of the elderly, inclusive of the age’s thematic loss of independence and ” agency.” The dedicated care of a loving and dedicated wife, necessitated by old age’s imposed restriction on our ambulation (without the assistance of a “walker,”) has, mandatorily, led to a loss of former personal agency; regarding which, the extent of our gratitude and love, conceivably, cannot adequately be expressed in sufficiently appropriate language.
However, it must be declared, respecting the salient mission of our prodigious writing, we are fortunate to be personally confirmed, in our promises of ultimate, joyful rewards respecting personal lifetimes of included learning and aspiration for personal enlightenment.
-p.
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