The Illusion of Free Will

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"The illusion of free will is an illusion which is to say that that you act if you pay close enough attention to it the illusion is not even there," he says. "It becomes clear that thoughts simply arise and that I don't know what my next thought will be any more than you know what it will be or any more than I know what your nextthought will be" He adds: "I'm smoking the wrong stuff maybe because I have the feeling of agency at least all the time and we haven't gotten over it yet"

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.

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