I don't think we need any more information than we had 300 years ago to dispense with the notion of free will. It's just people's intuitions shift once you start talking about things like brain tumors, he says. There is no scientific finding that will make me feel less love for my partner and all I think is that blame is an emotion that can genuinely drive the desire to find the right kind of punishment for an individual. We're just talking about cause causes that precede any possible agents self-authorship according to Tamler.
Bestselling author and friend of the podcast Sam Harris joins Tamler and Dave for a marathon podcast. (Seriously, pack two pairs of astronaut diapers for this one). We talk about the costs and benefits of religion, dropping acid in India, and the illusory nature of (a certain kind of) free will. Then we go at it on blame, moral responsibility, hatred, guilt, retribution, and vengeance. Sam thinks these are antiquated responses based on a belief in spooky metaphysics, Tamler thinks they are important components of human morality, and Dave just wants everyone to get along and be reasonable (like that nice Kant fellow).
Time markers (roughly)
0:00-47:00 Intro and costs and benefits of religion
47:00-77:30 Drugs, the self, free will
77:30-- Blame, guilt, vengeance, moral responsibility, desert.
Links
Special Guest: Sam Harris.
Support Very Bad Wizards