Wild with Sarah Wilson JOEL PEARSON: Do we have free will? Is anything our fault?
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Oct 22, 2024 Joel Pearson, a neuroscientist and cognitive expert from the University of New South Wales, explores the intriguing question of whether free will is merely an illusion. He delves into the implications of AI and social media on our choices, highlighting the risks to personal agency. The conversation also touches on the synchronization in nature, like murmurations, and how compassion can reshape our understanding of responsibility. Ultimately, Pearson challenges us to reconsider our beliefs about autonomy and the impact of external forces on our decision-making.
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Free Will: An Illusion?
- Free will, the sense of agency in our decisions, might be an illusion.
- Studies suggest decisions are made unconsciously before we're aware of them.
Predicting Choices
- Joel Pearson's lab replicated free will studies using fMRI scans.
- They predicted participants' choices up to 11 seconds before conscious decision.
Unconscious Agents
- A sense of self overlays agency onto decisions made unconsciously.
- Studies on split-brain patients and alien hand syndrome reveal unconscious agents in the brain.
