Historically many philosophers have believed that human beings owe their ability to act freely to a special human faculty called the will. In this seminar we look into the origins of this view by examining medieval accounts of free will and human action. For the discovery of the faculty of the will is often considered as one of the main contributions medieval philosophy made to the history of philosophy. The main topics explored in this class are: 1) What conception of freedom do medieval authors hold? Does freedom, for instance, involve a power to otherwise? 2) What is the basis of the free exercise of our will? Do we have free will and free choice in virtue of the will itself or in virtue of our capacities for thought and deliberation?