In this engaging discussion, Robert Sapolsky, a Stanford professor and renowned expert in neurobiology, challenges the idea of free will. He argues that our biology and environment shape our decisions more than we realize. Sapolsky shares fascinating insights, like how hunger can skew judges' parole decisions. He explores the role of culture in parenting and identity, emphasizing its influence on behavior. His thoughts on redefining justice propose understanding individuals over punishment, offering a fresh perspective on accountability.
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insights INSIGHT
No Free Will, Only Determinism
Free will is an illusion; our decisions are shaped by biology and environment from conception onward.
Our brain's frontal cortex, influenced more by environment than genetics, sculpts who we are and what we intend to do.
insights INSIGHT
Distributed Causality Explained
Human actions have distributed causality, woven from countless influences over time and space.
These numerous small effects collectively form a causal cable as powerful as single identifiable causes.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Phineas Gage Brain Injury Case
Phineas Gage's frontal cortex was damaged by an iron rod, dramatically changing his behavior.
This case revealed how brain injury affects self-control and emotional regulation linked to behavior.
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In this book, Sapolsky delves into the complex interplay of biological processes, including neuroscience, genetics, and hormones, to explain why humans behave in various ways. He examines behavior on multiple time scales, from the immediate neural responses to actions that occur over centuries and millennia. The book addresses topics such as tribalism, xenophobia, hierarchy, competition, morality, and free will, providing a nuanced and multifaceted understanding of human behavior. Sapolsky's approach integrates cutting-edge research across several disciplines to offer insights into the biological basis of human actions, both good and bad.
Determined
A Science of Life without Free Will
Robert Sapolsky
How your biology and environment make your decisions for you, according to Dr. Robert Sapolsky.
Robert Sapolsky, PhD is an author, researcher, and professor of biology, neurology, and neurosurgery at Stanford University. In this interview with Big Think’s Editor-in-Chief, Robert Chapman Smith, Sapolsky discusses the content of his most recent book, “Determined: The Science of Life Without Free Will.”
Being held as a child, growing up in a collectivist culture, or experiencing any sort of brain trauma – among hundreds of other things – can shape your internal biases and ultimately influence the decisions you make. This, explains Sapolsky, means that free will is not – and never has been – real. Even physiological factors like hunger can discreetly influence decision making, as discovered in a study that found judges were more likely to grant parole after they had eaten.
This insight is key for interpreting human behavior, helping not only scientists but those who aim to evolve education systems, mental health research, and even policy making.
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About Robert Sapolsky:
Robert M. Sapolsky holds degrees from Harvard and Rockefeller Universities and is currently a Professor of Biology and Neurology at Stanford University and a Research Associate with the Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya. His books include New York Times bestseller, Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst and Determined.
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