Instant Genius How neuroscience is reshaping our understanding of free will
Dec 1, 2025
Join Dr. Hannah Critchlow, a Cambridge neuroscientist and author of The Science of Fate, as she unravels the mysteries of free will. Delve into how our genes and upbringing shape our decisions and beliefs. Discover insights from Libet's study on brain activity preceding choice and explore how our DNA can predict traits like impulsivity. Hannah also discusses the fascinating interplay of nature and nurture, the power of plasticity in learning, and even how therapy can alter epigenetic fears, suggesting a path to empower our choices.
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Neural Signals Often Precede Conscious Decisions
- Benjamin Libet's experiments showed brain activity initiating movement before conscious awareness of the decision.
- This suggests conscious awareness may follow neural initiation, challenging simple notions of free will.
Genes Shape Your Brain's Initial Wiring
- Your genes shape the initial neural circuitry you develop in the womb and early life.
- That genetic blueprint creates foundational predispositions for perception and behaviour.
Thoughts Are Fast Electrical Patterns
- Thoughts are patterns of electrical currents moving through ~86 billion neurons and ~86 trillion synaptic connections.
- Neural signalling (ions moving across membranes) is the physical substrate of ideas and decisions.
