Opposition or resistance that goes against someone's wishes or desires; a competing force of determination.
From counter- (against) + will (desire, determination). Emerged in early Modern English to describe conflicting intentions or psychological resistance, used in philosophy and psychology to denote opposing volitions.
Philosophers love this word because it captures something we all experience—wanting to do something while simultaneously not wanting to do it, like knowing you should study but really wanting to play video games. This internal conflict is one of the deepest questions in human psychology and ethics.
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