I read with great interest the recent paper by Bundick and Spinella1 and the related commentary by Goldberg.2 These articles address the neurological substrates of volitional disturbance and in places they adopt the vocabulary of the philosophy of action—for example, Goldberg refers to the “will”. However, their uses of action related terms are mutually inconsistent and some clarification might assist in elucidating the functional anatomical relevance of the disorders described.

If we are to use the terms “will” and “action” then their use should be internally consistent. The “will” is that process that deliberates (consciously) on what is to be done, and the “action” is the performance, which follows …