Factually! with Adam Conover Free Will Absolutely Does Exist with Dr. Kevin Mitchell
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Feb 14, 2024 Dr. Kevin Mitchell, a neuroscientist and author of "Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will," joins Adam Conover to discuss the existence of free will. They explore misconceptions surrounding free will, the challenges posed by determinism, the complexity of organismic control, and the unpredictability of complex systems. The speakers also delve into the concept of a God's eye view, the implications of free will on human behavior, and the practicality of decision-making in everyday life.
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Free Will and Moral Responsibility
- Free will is a crucial concept because it underpins our moral responsibility systems.
- It's a challenge to reconcile free will with scientific materialism, but it's fundamental to how we live.
Purpose of Living Organisms
- Living organisms, unlike inanimate objects, have a purpose: to persist and survive.
- This purpose drives their need for control systems to adapt and react to the environment.
Evolution of Agency
- Agency, or the ability to make choices, becomes more complex in multicellular animals with nervous systems.
- Worms, with their limited actions, exemplify a basic level of agency, showcasing the evolutionary roots of free will.