Showing results for "Free Will" in Politics & Social Sciences

The existence of free will - our ability to choose between one course of action and another, to determine our own destiny - is a foundation stone of Western society, dictating our notions of fairness and justice, punishment and reward, our very identity as individuals and humans. But as world-renowned scientist Robert Sapolsky shows, there is not a shred of evidence to suggest that free will exists, even while everything in our biology leads us to believe that it does.

In our daily lives, it really seems as though we have free will, that what we do from moment to moment is determined by conscious decisions that we freely make. You get up from the couch, you go for a walk, you eat chocolate ice cream. It seems that we're in control of actions like these; if we are then we have free will. But in recent years, some have argued that free will is an illusion. The neuroscientist (and best-selling author) Sam Harris and the late Harvard psychologist Daniel Wegner, for example, claim that certain scientific findings disprove free will.

Do you make your own choices or have circumstances beyond your control already decided your destiny? For thousands of years, this question has intrigued and perplexed philosophers, scientists, and everyone who thinks deliberately about how they choose to live and act. For if free will makes us accountable for our choices, does the opposite hold true, that determinism absolves us of responsibility?

Henri Bergson (1859-1941) was the leading French philosopher of the first half of the 20th century. Near the end of his life when he was forced to register with the police in Nazi occupied France he wrote: ‘Academic. Philosopher. Nobel prize winner. Jew.’ Time and Free Will, his doctoral thesis, was published as a book in 1889 and attacks and rejects the mechanistic view of causality described in Kant’s version of space and time and proceeds to attempt to define free-will and consciousness by separating space and time. 

A neuroscientist and surgeon makes an argument for the existence of a spiritual human soul in this eye-opening book. Many scientists and doctors believe that there is no such thing as the soul. That there is no part of us that persists beyond death. We are not spiritual in any respect. We are...

🌎 The World Is Yours!You are seeing this message because the Universe wanted you to find it. This podcast dives into the challenges that hold you back and empowers you to break free. Discover the secrets to transforming your mindset and unleashing the incredible person within you.Join me for eye-opening conversations that spark change and ignite your passion for a better life. Each episode is a powerful reminder that you are the creator of your world. The truth to your path awaits. If you so choose... 👁️ This is FREE WILL - Hosted by Toni ScardinoEvery Tuesday Support the Pod:https://...

Scientists are learning more and more about how brain activity controls behavior and how neural circuits weigh alternatives and initiate actions. As we probe ever deeper into the mechanics of decision making, many conclude that agency—or free will—is an illusion. In Free Agents, leading neuroscientist Kevin Mitchell presents a wealth of evidence to the contrary, arguing that we are not mere machines responding to physical forces but agents acting with purpose.

In On Grace and Free Will, Augustine delves into the profound debate surrounding the interplay of divine grace and human freedom. He addresses those who assert that affirming Gods grace undermines the liberty of the will, countering their claims that grace is merely a reward for personal merit. Written for the monks of Adrumetum, where this controversy first ignited, Augustines work invites readers to explore the delicate balance between grace and free will, beginning with a compelling examination of those who advocate for human autonomy.

This treatise emerges from a fascinating dialogue, likely sparked by a public or semi-public exchange with an unnamed individual. Here, St. Bernard passionately advocates for the transformative power of grace, yet he finds himself at risk of downplaying the essential role of free will. The text radiates the essence of mystical theology—not the secretive kind, but rather that which resonates with the everyday Christian navigating lifes complexities. It’s remarkable how this ascetic, a recluse by choice, engages with a topic that profoundly echoes the heartbeats of ordinary humanity.

The next revolution in business will provide for a sustainable future, from founder, CEO and circular economy expert Ron Gonen Our take-make-waste economy has cost consumers and taxpayers billions while cheating us out of a habitable planet. But it doesn’t have to be this way. The Waste-Free...

Marx and Engels were right when they observed in the Communist Manifesto that free markets had in a short time created greater prosperity and more technological innovation than all previous generations combined. A century and a half later, all the evidence shows that capitalism has lifted millions and millions from hunger and poverty. Today's story about global capitalism, shared by right-wing and left-wing populists, but also by large sections of the political and economic establishment, does not deny that prosperity has been created, but it says it ended up in far too few hands.

Your reminder that you have free will.

Do you create your own destiny? Or do you merely play whatever hand the universe has dealt you? This provocative audieries will stimulate your mind by raising these and other timeless questions about free will and determinism. In this series, host Dr. Robert Lawrence Kuhn welcomes a total of 13 guest experts to discuss free will, identity, and the possibility of the afterlife. Each episode is crafted as a series of one-on-one interviews.

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 ...

In which I try not to fight with my brother while we both try to shut up and listen to my sister-in-law. This is a periodic Philosophy podcast, in the form of a free-flowing conversation on a central text. It was incepted as an aid to my high school students in their Philosophy studies.

Let’s Have The Conversation

Have you ever struggled to resist sites or apps which prompt you to share ever more personal data? Who hasn’t casually clicked on the big green “I agree” button, instead of the little grey links below? And who doesn’t lose their patience unsubscribing from a website, when all it took was one click to “try for free”? These features are called “dark patterns” or “deceptive patterns”, which are interfaces that deceive or manipulate users to make them act without realizing or against their own interests. Why should we care about it ? Because …✅ dark patterns harm the ...

Does free will exist? The question has fueled heated debates spanning from philosophy to psychology and religion. The answer has major implications, and the stakes are high. To put it in the simple terms that have come to dominate these debates, if we are free to make our own decisions, we are accountable for what we do, and if we aren't free, we're off the hook.

The official podcast for the We Will Be Free campaign, with presenter and founder, Ryan Karter. Each week a different guest will be on the show, with their unique perspective on the world. Join us as we take an irreverent, comedic and sometimes downright bizarre view on what's really happening in this crazy new world. Contains a mix of serious discussion, anecdotes, opinion, observational humour and informal chat. Not to be missed. Remember - you're not going crazy, they are! Website: https://wewillbefree.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/wewillbefree82 Instagram: https://instagram.com/...

This series will stimulate your mind through a collection of profound and timeless questions about free will and determinism. As you analyze these competing philosophies, you will find that every answer raises fascinating new questions about morality, fate, consciousness, and the existence of a higher power. In this series of three episodes, host Dr. Robert Lawrence Kuhn welcomes a total of 18 guest experts to discuss free will. Each episode is crafted as a series of one-on-one interviews.