In this episode we go DEEP on free will. Does free will exist? How does quantum physics impact the existence of free will?  We look at the neuroscience behind the concept of free will, and look at whether conscious decision-making exists at all or all of our decisions arise within the subconscious with Dr. Alfred Mele.

Dr. Alfred Mele is a Professor of Philosophy at Florida State University. He is also the Director of the Philosophy and Science of Self-Control Project and previous director of the Big Questions in Free Will Project (2010-2013). Mele is the author of over 200 articles and ten books including “Free Will & Luck”, “Self Deception Unmasked,” and “Free: Why Science Hasn’t Disproved Free Will."

• We do deep on the definition of Free Will and what it means

• Do you have free will?

• Dr. Mele’s “gas station” model of Free will and what it means

• What is “deep openness” and does it underpin the existence of free will?

• The concept of determinism and whether or not it is compatible with the idea of free will

• How quantum physics shapes the physical reality of free will

• Philosophical concept of dualism and how it interacts with the existence of free will

• Does your environment impact your ability to have “free will” and make independent decisions?

• Does science leaves open the possibility for free will to exist?

• We go deep into the actual neuroscience experiments that test whether or not we have free will

• We get into the millisecond readings of EEGs that show how the brain’s decision making works to determine whether or not our decisions are truly free

• We explore type 2 readiness potential and why its so critical to understanding whether or not we have free will

• Where the evidence lands in terms of the neuroscience of free will

• Does your unconscious rule your mind or can you consciously make free decisions?

• Does your environment and upbringing predetermine your decisions?

• Does moral responsibility exist in a world without free will?

• How do we handle questions of moral responsibility if free will doesn’t exist?

• How do people behave when they dont believe they have free will?

• Why 94% of University Professors rated themselves as above average professors

• Why 25% of High School Students rated themselves in the top 1% of their ability to get along with others

• We discuss the concept of Self Deception and how to combat it

• And much more!

If you’ve always wondered about Free Will - listen to this episode! 

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SHOW NOTES, LINKS, & RESEARCH

• [Book] Free: Why Science Hasn't Disproved Free Will by Alfred R. Mele

• [Interview Series] Big Questions in Free Will

• [FSU Bio] Alfred Mele

• [Article] Libet Experiments

• [Article] Unconscious determinants of free decisions in the human brain

• [Video] The Libet Experiment: Is Free Will Just an Illusion?

• [Article] Patrick Haggard

• [Article] Human volition: towards a neuroscience of will by Patrick Haggard

• [Article] The value of believing in free will: encouraging a belief in determinism increases cheating.

Episode Transcript