The implications of recursive self-prediction suggest an answer to the age-old question of what the will consists of: The will to stick to a diet has the same nature as the “will” of the nations in World War II not to use poison gas, or of those since not to use nuclear weapons. This will is a bargaining situation, not an organ. In fact it can be well described in terms of bargaining theory.

The relationship of bargaining agents who have some incompatible goals but also some goals in common is called “limited warfare.” Countries want to win trade advantages from each other while avoiding a trade war; merchants want to win customers from each other while lobbying for the same commercial legislation; a husband wants to vacation in the mountains and his wife wants to vacation at the shore, but neither wants to spoil the vacation by fighting; a person today wants to stay sober tomorrow night and tomorrow night will want to get drunk, but from neither standpoint does she want to become an alcoholic. Whether the parties are countries or individuals or interests within an individual, limited warfare describes the relationship of diversely motivated agents who share some but not all goals.