Abstract

This work argues that Willing--that is, an act of volitional proposing-is especially presenced as a problem for HIV sero-negative gay men in North America. The approach taken is grounded in social philosophy and an organicist ontology. The former considers human beings in light of their relations with others and the world. The latter posits a principle of internal relations in which the essence of a being is determined in and through its relations. ;Starting with an analysis of HIV prevention strategies, the author argues that the implicit understanding of social researchers and prevention educators is that Willing is a process of regulating and securing, without any acknowledgment of the deep aleatoric character of Willing. As a corrective, the author inquires into the significance of the aleatoric character of Willing, as well as the relationships between Willing, on one side, and identification, freedom and ethics, on the other, so as to elaborate a more socially relevant conception of Willing. ;A central thesis in the author's inquiry into identification is that identification marks out the place where we live, thus preparing the ground for the capacity for Willing. The author concludes that identification has a central place in the dynamics of Willing and the life of the mind, but that Willing cannot be reduced to identification. Regarding freedom, the author shows that the freedom of Willing is its natality--its capacity for starting relative new beginnings. Regarding ethics, the author concludes that neither identification nor freedom can ground ethical theory. Rather, ethical Willing is created through the attitude of integrity and the activity of integration. Integrity and integration develop out of the relationship between Willing and the solicitude of others