The Good Fight Robert Sapolsky on Free Will
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Nov 11, 2023 
Neuroscientist and primatologist, Robert Sapolsky, debates the existence of free will and its implications on criminal law, love, and friendship. Chapters explore the influence of identity synthesis on institutions, the absence of free will and determinism, the concept of agency, and the implications on human behavior and relationships. The podcast also discusses societal intuition and the evolution of judgment.
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From Witchcraft To Biology
- Robert Sapolsky contrasts historical demonization with modern medical responses to seizures to show shifting attributions of responsibility.
- He argues we now treat seizures as biological issues and remove retribution from the response.
Seamless Determinants Replace Free Agents
- Sapolsky says neurobiology and primatology reveal a seamless set of determinants shaping behavior with no gap for free will.
- He claims the structure of causes leaves no plausible place to insert an independent agent.
Unpredictability Isn't Free Will
- Sapolsky distinguishes unpredictability from agency, noting determinism can still be formally unpredictable (chaos).
- He emphasizes statistical predictability of behavioral tendencies rather than perfect prediction.