The Free Will Show
Taylor Cyr and Matt Flummer
Do any of us really have free will? What does it mean to have free will, anyway? Is free will compatible with determinism? Hasn’t science disproved free will? How could we have free will if God exists and foreknows everything that we will ever do? The Free Will Show provides a beginner-friendly introduction to the topic of free will while at the same time exposing listeners to cutting-edge developments on the topic. Hosted by a couple of philosophers, Taylor Cyr and Matt Flummer, The Free Will Show features interviews with guests on a diverse array of issues relating to free will, including issues in science and theology. thefreewillshow.com
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 27, 2025 • 45min
Episode 106: Boethius with John Marenbon
In this episode, we talk with John Marenbon about free will and foreknowledge in Boethius's most famous work, the Consolation of Philosophy.John's PhilPeople profile: https://philpeople.org/profiles/john-marenbonJohn's Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on Boethius: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/boethius/Twitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
Oct 13, 2025 • 1h 6min
Episode 105: Augustine of Hippo with Jesse Couenhoven
In this episode, we talk with Jesse Coeuenhoven about Augustine’s views on free will, moral responsibility, and predestination. Jesse's website: https://www1.villanova.edu/university/liberal-arts-sciences/programs/theology/faculty/biodetail.html?mail=jesse.couenhoven@villanova.edu&xsl=bio_longJesse's book: Striken by Sin, Cured by Christ: Agency, Necessity, and Culpability in Augustinian TheologyTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
Sep 29, 2025 • 1h 1min
Episode 104: Plotinus with Anna Viatkina
In this episode, we talk with Anna Viatkina about Plotinus’s views on freedom and moral responsibility and how they relate to ancient Stoic and contemporary rational abilities views. Anna's Google Scholar page: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=KJmxq2gAAAAJ&hl=ruTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
Sep 15, 2025 • 46min
Episode 103: Epicureanism and Stoicism with Tim O'Keefe
In this episode, we talk with Tim O'Keefe about Epicurean and Stoic views of freedom and determinism.Tim's website: https://philpeople.org/profiles/tim-o-keefeTim's book, Epicurus on Freedom: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/epicurus-on-freedom/F5058A8C45DB77CE70CA0BF56A3116F9Tim's entry in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy on "Ancient Theories of Freedom and Determinism": https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/freedom-ancient/Twitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
Sep 1, 2025 • 35min
Episode 102: Aristotle with Susan Sauvé Meyer
In this episode, we talk with Susan Sauvé Meyer about Aristotle’s views on moral responsibility, especially his conception of voluntariness.Susan's website: https://philosophy.sas.upenn.edu/people/susan-sauv%C3%A9-meyerSusan's book: How to Flourish: An Ancient Guide to Living WellTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
Aug 18, 2025 • 39min
Episode 101: Plato with Eric Brown
In this episode, we talk with Eric Brown about Plato’s views on freedom, moral psychology, and responsibility.Eric's website: https://sites.google.com/view/ericbrownphilosophy/homeEric’s entry on Plato’s Republic in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-ethics-politics/Twitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
May 26, 2025 • 56min
Episode 100: P. F. Strawson’s “Freedom and Resentment” and Ethical Naturalism with Pamela Hieronymi
In this episode, we talk with Pamela Hieronymi about P. F. Strawson’s classic paper “Freedom and Resentment,” his ethical naturalism, and her recent Gifford Lectures.Pamela's website: https://hieronymi.humspace.ucla.edu/Pamela's book: Freedom, Resentment, and the Metaphysics of MoralsTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
May 12, 2025 • 47min
Episode 99: Addiction and Moral Responsibility with Chandra Sripada
In this episode we talk with Chandra Sripada about the distortion model of addiction and how it is different from the standard, desire based model.Chandra's website: https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/sripada/Chandra's paper: Impaired control in addiction involves cognitive distortions and unreliable self-control, not compulsive desires and overwhelmed self-controlTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
Apr 28, 2025 • 37min
Episode 98: Taking Responsibility with Elinor Mason
In this episode, we talk with Elinor Mason about her work on taking responsibility and how it differs from other ways of being blameworthy.Elinore's website: https://sites.google.com/site/elinormasonphilosophy/homeElinore's book: Ways to Be BlameworthyTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
Apr 14, 2025 • 44min
Episode 97: Intention and Memory with Wayne Wu
In this episode, we talk with Wayne Wu about his work on automaticity, attention, and memory in the philosophy of action. Wayne's website: https://www.waynewu.net/Wayne's book, Movements of the Mind: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/movements-of-the-mind-9780192866899Wayne's new book, Attention: https://www.routledge.com/Attention/Wu/p/book/9781032121772Twitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
