Appendix A - Free Will Recommended Reading

Appendix A: Free Will Recommended Reading #

Free will is an enormous topic with hundreds, if not thousands of years of arguments.

Books #

I recommend the following books as a gentle introduction for a general audience.

  • Free Will by Sam Harris argues that the concept of free will is an illusion, suggesting that our thoughts and actions are determined by preceding states of the brain and the external environment, rather than by our own conscious decisions.
  • Free Will by Mark Balaguer offers a nuanced exploration of the free will debate, arguing that, despite the constraints of physical determinism and indeterminism, humans can still possess a form of free will that is compatible with the realities of the universe.
  • Elbow Room: The Varieties of Free Will Worth Wanting by Daniel C. Dennett argues that understanding the complexities of determinism allows us to identify forms of free will that are compatible with a deterministic universe, essentially redefining free will in a way that preserves moral responsibility and the value of choice.
  • Freedom Regained: The Possibility of Free Will by Julian Baggini challenges the notion that free will is entirely an illusion, arguing instead that through the complexity of human nature and society, a practical and meaningful form of free will is indeed possible and significant in our lives.
  • Who’s in Charge? Free Will and the Science of the Brain by Michael S. Gazzaniga examines the interplay between neuroscience and the concept of free will, suggesting that despite the brain’s automatic processes, humans possess a form of personal responsibility shaped by social constructs and the brain’s interpretive capacities.
  • The Illusion of Conscious Will by Daniel M. Wegner argues that the feeling of having conscious control over our actions is an illusion, with experiments and psychological theory supporting the idea that conscious will emerges from unconscious processes and does not direct our actions as intuitively believed.
  • Determined: Life Without Free Will by Robert M Sapolsky delves into how our actions are predetermined by biology, genetics, and environment, challenging the traditional notion of free will and advocating for a compassionate understanding of human behavior that acknowledges these influences.

Websites #