Here’s the question you’re going to be asking for the next 30 minutes: Did I freely choose to listen to this podcast, or did I actually have no choice at all? Most of us probably believe we have free will. We feel like we make decisions, and that each of us is responsible for the consequences of our actions. But what if that’s all just an illusion?

Robert Sapolsky is a renowned professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University, but he’s also the author of best-selling scientific books such as “Behave”. He’s always been focused on the biological mechanisms that shape our actions, but in his latest book, “Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will” he’s going a step further: He says the science shows that our biology doesn’t just shape our actions, but completely controls them. In this episode, he argues that letting go of the illusion of free will could radically reshape our world.

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Exploring the Illusion of Free Will with Renowned Neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky

Chapters
00:02 Introduction
00:36 Exploring the Concept of Free Will
01:34 The Influence of Biology on Human Actions
02:18 The Illusion of Free Will
03:53 Understanding Determinism
08:13 The Role of Biology, Genes, and Hormones in Determinism
15:35 The Impact of Culture on Determinism
19:38 The Role of Environment in Determinism
22:36 Challenging the Concept of Free Will
28:54 Implications of Lack of Free Will on Society
29:56 The Quarantine Model for Dangerous People
32:31 Conclusion: The Struggle of Living Without Belief in Free Will


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