Conation
Sign in to saveIn the philosophy of mind, and in psychology, conation refers to the ability to apply intellectual energy to a task to achieve its completion or reach a solution. Conation may be distinguished from other mental phenomena, particularly cognition, and sensation, and has been described as "neglected" in comparison with these phenomena. It may overlap to some extent with the concept of motivation, but "the ability to focus and maintain persistent effort" has been seen as more pertinent to conation.
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In the philosophy of mind, and in psychology, conation refers to the ability to apply intellectual energy to a task to achieve its completion or reach a solution. Conation may be distinguished from other mental phenomena, particularly cognition, and sensation, and has been described as "neglected" in comparison with these phenomena. It may overlap to some extent with the concept of motivation, but "the ability to focus and maintain persistent effort" has been seen as more pertinent to conation.
==Definitions== Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines conation as "an inclination (as an instinct or drive) to act purposefully". The word comes from the Latin words conari (to try) and conatio (an attempt). Hannah et al. define "moral conation" as "the capacity to generate responsibility and motivation to take moral action in the face of adversity and persevere through challenges".