A Famous Argument Against Free Will Has Been Debunked

A Famous Argument Against Free Will Has Been Debunked

10/21/2019

link

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/09/free-will-bereitschaftspotential/597736/

summary

This article delves into the concept of free will and the important role that neuroscience plays in understanding it. It discusses a study conducted in the 1980s that explored the brain's readiness potential, or 'bereitschaftspotential,' which precedes conscious decision-making. The article highlights how the study's findings challenge the traditional notion of free will, suggesting that our brains may make decisions unconsciously before we are aware of them. It also explores various viewpoints on the topic, including contrasting perspectives from science and philosophy. Ultimately, the article raises thought-provoking questions about the nature of free will and the implications of neuroscience research on our understanding of personal agency.

tags

free will ꞏ neuroscience ꞏ brain activity ꞏ decision-making ꞏ consciousness ꞏ unconscious processes ꞏ human behavior ꞏ cognitive science ꞏ psychology ꞏ determinism ꞏ volition ꞏ brain waves ꞏ motor preparation ꞏ brain signals ꞏ neural activity ꞏ eeg ꞏ neural correlates ꞏ neural mechanisms ꞏ brain mapping ꞏ brain research ꞏ neurophysiology ꞏ brain imaging ꞏ neural coding ꞏ self-control ꞏ introspection ꞏ brain science ꞏ mental processes ꞏ brain functions ꞏ mind-body problem ꞏ neuroscience research ꞏ philosophy of mind ꞏ perception ꞏ cognitive control ꞏ motor cortex ꞏ brain potentials ꞏ neural patterns ꞏ cognitive neuroscience ꞏ mind-body connection ꞏ agency ꞏ neurobiology ꞏ action potential ꞏ brain activity monitoring ꞏ neural pathways ꞏ brain-mapping techniques ꞏ neural dynamics ꞏ neuroscience experiments ꞏ mind-brain relationship ꞏ self-awareness ꞏ brain plasticity ꞏ neural networks ꞏ neural circuitry