Episode #182 - What if free will is an illusion?
What if free will is an illusion?
This episode explores the question of whether free will is an illusion and why that question matters beyond abstract theory. It begins by connecting the issue to everyday concerns like moral accountability, social responsibility, and the structure of legal and political systems. The conversation outlines the long philosophical debate over free will and determinism, placing views like libertarian free will, hard determinism, and compatibilism on a spectrum of belief. It examines how definitions of freedom have evolved, including the distinction between wanting something and willing it, and highlights Harry Frankfurt’s theory of first and second order desires. The episode also considers how society might change if hard determinism were widely accepted, from criminal justice to incentive structures and personal blame. It closes by noting the growing relevance of artificial intelligence in reshaping how we understand agency, setting up the next episode’s discussion of AI and free will.
Further Reading:
Free Will: A Very Short Introduction by Thomas Pink (2004)
Four Views on Free Will by John Martin Fischer, Robert Kane, Derk Pereboom, and Manuel Vargas (2007)
Freedom Evolves by Daniel C. Dennett (2003)
See the full transcript here.
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