Sapolsky summarises the latest scientific research relevant to determinism: the idea that we’re causally ‘determined’ to act as we do and couldn’t possibly act any other way.
Articles on The science of free will
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In 1983, one study by an American physiologist set off an explosion of research about free will and the brain.
Leading tech companies are increasingly using AI to influence our behaviour. But how persuasive do we find virtual assistants?
The criminal justice system presupposes people generally are free to decide whether or not to engage in criminal behaviour. However, the courts acknowledge not everyone has free will.
Scientists are revealing the extent to which our behaviour is influenced by our genes, calling into question our capacity for free will. But there is still scope for change.
Have you ever watched something because YouTube recommended it to you? You’ve probably been influenced by an algorithm. But at the end of the day, underneath all the algorithms are people.
Is everything predetermined, or is it all random? Or is there something in between that we call free will that defies our attempts to explain it?
Top contributors
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Research Associate, Institute for Ethics and Society, University of Notre Dame Australia
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Associate Professor and Head of Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, The University of Melbourne
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Professor of Data Science; Director, Adelaide Data Science Centre, Adelaide University
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Academic Fellow, University of Sydney Law School, University of Sydney
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Professor, Australian National University
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Lecturer, UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney
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Science Outreach Fellow at Magdalene College, University of Cambridge
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Associate Professor, Mathematics & Statistics, University of Vermont
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Professor of Philosophy, Macquarie University