Showing results for "Free Will" in Philosophy

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.

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.

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.

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.

In this award-winning podcast mini-series, journalist Harry Robinson uses his extensive experience in interviewing cults and religious sects to give profiles on various fringe religious beliefs. No judgement or any sense of divine superiority (which wouldn't make much sense from a host with no religion), just sheer curiosity as to what makes some people think that they have found the answers to all of life's most profound questions. Who knows, maybe we might even be enlightened along the way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.