The Free Will Show
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
Latest episodes
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/
Mar 31, 2025 • 1h 2min
Episode 96: The Problem of Blame with Kelly McCormick
In this episode we talk to Kelly McCormick about the problem of blame and her reasons for thinking that we shouldn’t eliminate blame from our lives.Kelly's website: https://addran.tcu.edu/view/kelly-mccormickKelly's book: The Problem of BlameTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
Mar 17, 2025 • 59min
Episode 95: Experimental Philosophy and Free Will with Eddy Nahmias
In this episode, we talk with Eddy Nahmias about the experimental philosophy of free will and his own compatibilist view.Eddy's Website: https://eddynahmias.com/Eddy's paper (with Nadelhoffer and Morris): Is Incompatibilism Intuitive?Eddy's paper with Oisin Deery: Why the Manipulation Argument Fails: Determinism Does Not Entail Perfect PredictionTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
Feb 24, 2025 • 1h 1min
Episode 94: Time Travel and Free Will with Neal Tognazzini
In this episode, we talk with Neal Tognazzini about time travel and free will as well as some non-standard threats to free will from other areas of metaphysics.Neal's website: https://sites.google.com/view/neal-tognazzini/home?authuser=0Neal's paper (with Andrew Law), "Free Will and Two Local Determinisms": https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10670-018-9992-9Twitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
Feb 10, 2025 • 47min
Episode 93: Basic Responsibility with Matt King
In this episode, we talk with Matt King about various kinds of responsibility and how they all share in what he calls the basic responsibility relation.Matt's website: https://dr-matt-king.squarespace.com/Matt's book: Simply ResponsibleTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
Jan 27, 2025 • 30min
Episode 92: The Paradox of Moral Education with Sabrina Little
In this episode, we talk with Sabrina Little about a puzzle about free will in the context of moral education.Sabrina's website: https://sabrinalittle.com/Sabrina's book: The Examined RunTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
Jan 13, 2025 • 42min
Episode 91: Agency Incompatibilism with Helen Steward
In this episode, we talk with Helen Steward about her view that agency itself, not just free agency, is incompatible with determinism. Helen's website: https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/philosophy/staff/1167/professor-helen-steward-fbaHelen's book: A Metaphysics for FreedomTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/
