
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

Jan 15, 2024 • 41min
Episode 71: The Principle of Alternative Possibilities with Justin Capes
In this episode, we talk with Justin Capes about the principle of alternative possibilities and his version of the flicker of freedom response to Frankfurt cases.Justin's website: https://www.justincapes.com/Justin's book, Moral Responsibility and the Flicker of Freedom: https://academic.oup.com/book/46725Twitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/

Dec 18, 2023 • 27min
Episode 70: Forgiveness and the Law with Simone Gubler
In this episode, we talk with Simone Gubler about forgiveness, its value, and some potential problems with institutional attempts to make forgiveness happen.Simone's website: https://simonegubler.com/Simone's paper, "Recent Work in Forgiveness": https://academic.oup.com/analysis/article-abstract/82/4/738/6908773?redirectedFrom=fulltextTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/

Dec 4, 2023 • 38min
Episode 69: Addiction and the Law with Stephen Morse
In this episode, we talk with Stephen Morse about the nature of addiction and about the moral and criminal responsibility of people who suffer from addiction. Stephen's website: https://www.law.upenn.edu/faculty/smorse/Stephen's book (edited with Adina Roskies), A Primer on Criminal Law and Neuroscience: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/a-primer-on-criminal-law-and-neuroscience-9780199859177?q=primer%20on%20law%20and%20neuroscience%20morse%20roskies&lang=en&cc=usTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/

Nov 20, 2023 • 42min
Episode 68: Psychopathy and the Law with David Shoemaker
In this episode, we talk with David Shoemaker about his theory of different kinds of moral responsibility and its implications for psychopathy and the law.David's website: https://sites.google.com/site/dshoemakr/homeDavid's book, Responsibility from the Margins: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/responsibility-from-the-margins-9780198715672?lang=en&cc=usTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/

Nov 6, 2023 • 39min
Episode 67: Children and the Law with Gideon Yaffe
In this episode, we talk with Gideon Yaffe about whether and to what extent children should be held less culpable for breaking the law.Gideon's website: https://law.yale.edu/gideon-yaffeGideon's book, The Age of Culpability: Children and the Age of Criminal Responsibility: https://academic.oup.com/book/8349?login=falseTwitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/

Oct 23, 2023 • 43min
Episode 66: Overpunishment with Saul Smilansky
In this episode, we talk with Saul Smilansky about overpunishment, focusing on the question of whether overpunishing a guilty person is morally worse than punishing an innocent person. We also briefly discuss Saul's work on free will and illusion.Saul's website: https://www.saulsmilansky.com/Saul's book, Free Will and Illusion: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/free-will-and-illusion-9780199252596?q=saul%20smilanski%20free%20will&lang=en&cc=usSaul's paper, "Overpunishment and the Punishment of the Innocent": https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/phib.12235 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/

Oct 9, 2023 • 36min
Episode 65: Rehabilitation with Katrina Sifferd
In this episode, we talk with Katrina Sifferd about the rehabilitation of criminal offenders and the effects that environments can have on criminal behavior and rehabilitation.Katrina's website: https://pleasandexcuses.net/Katrina's paper, "Structural Injustice and Fair Opportunity": https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11572-023-09697-1Twitter: https://twitter.com/thefreewillshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreewillshow/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Free-Will-Show-105535031200408/

Sep 25, 2023 • 30min
Episode 64: Moral Authority and Punishment with Victor Tadros
Victor Tadros, expert in moral authority and punishment, discusses complicity and moral authority in punishment, including how the state's complicity affects its standing. They also explore objections to focusing on the state's complicity and discuss responsibility and justification of sanctions in a deterministic world.

Sep 18, 2023 • 25min
Episode 63: Mens Rea with Craig Agule
Craig Agule, a philosophy professor, discusses the philosophical issues related to mens rea requirements in the law and the connection between mens rea and free will. They delve into different categories of criminal behavior, explore the relationship between mens rea and free will, and discuss the concerns and implications of a mens rea defense.

Sep 7, 2023 • 30min
Episode 62: Theories of Punishment with Erin Kelly
Erin Kelly, expert on theories of punishment and advocate for restorative justice, discusses the main theories of justification for punishment and challenges they face. She explores the shift from retributive to restorative justice, examines retributive and consequence-oriented theories of punishment, and suggests restorative justice as an alternative. The significance of listening to people's stories in clarifying ethical concerns is emphasized, along with the need to consider real-world society in approaching ethical problems.