Life Without Free Will || Robert Sapolsky
The Psychology Podcast
Exploring Human Decision Making and the Power of Biology
Human decision making is often seen as uniquely human, but it can be argued that organisms, including humans, are decision making machines. However, some argue that this perspective is too behaviorist and fails to acknowledge the complexity of the mechanisms at work. Opening up the 'black box' of human decision making reveals intricate gears and mechanisms, and highlights the power of biological processes that were previously unknown. Over the past 500 years, Western culture has continuously discovered the role of biology in various aspects of life, leading to a realization of the limitations of agency and choice. Compatibilist philosophers often hope for the existence of free will, as the alternative seems undesirable. The literature on evolutionary biology even explores our capacity for self-deception in order to cope with reality's challenges.
