The aspiration of a future death metal fanatic

Sometimes, after evaluating our motivations, values, and goals, we may retain or reject old ones, adopt new ones, and work to fulfill them. As a result, we might gain a skill, shift our perspective on a political issue, or begin to appreciate an aesthetic value. This process is one of active self-shaping. Philosophers have identified a special phenomenon of it through the lens of aspiration and explored its cognitive and conative aspects. Yet, more remains to be said about why we should understand it as a comprehensive experience, one that captures not only both components but also the specific way in which they co-occur, and its continuous nature. In this paper, I aim to provide new grounds for existing discussions and develop and defend three core ideas about aspiration: it is something continuous; incorporates both cognitive and conative elements; and involves an alignment between the two.