The Absence of Free Will and the Role of Determinism

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This chapter explores the concept of free will and the absence of a higher power, discussing personal experiences and scientific research that support the belief. It delves into the concept of predictability and determinism, discussing chaos theory and how the world can be both deterministic and unpredictable. The chapter also touches on the hidden biological influences that shape our decision-making and how embracing a scientific understanding of these influences can change our view of ourselves.

Yascha Mounk and Robert Sapolsky debate whether there is free will and if it would matter if there weren't.

Robert Sapolsky, a neuroscientist and primatologist, is the John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn Professor and professor of biology, neurology and neurosurgery at Stanford University. Sapolsky is the author of Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst. His latest book is Determined: A Science of Life without Free Will.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Robert Sapolsky discuss whether, as Sapolsky argues, there is no such thing as free will; and what follows for everything from criminal law to the possibility of love and friendship if we were to agree that it doesn't.

This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

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