Free Will: Does It Exist?

Will you hit play on this episode?? It feels like that decision is totally within your control — but what if it’s not? What if free will is just an illusion? Lots of people are using science to say that free will is a trick of the mind, that whether or not you listen to this episode, or eat a taco, or do a silly dance right now — it’s all predestined. But do we really have science receipts for that? We find out by talking to neuroscientist Prof. John-Dylan Haynes and theoretical physicist Prof. Sean Carroll. 

Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsFreeWill 

Check out Sean Carroll’s podcast, Mindscape, here: https://preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/ 

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) When you remember you have free will 

(02:21) What is free will?

(04:26) The argument against free will(18:07) The argument for free will 

This episode was produced by Meryl Horn with help from Rose Rimler, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Michelle Dang and Wendy Zukerman. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Wendy Zukerman is the executive producer. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and video editing by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bobby Lord, Bumi Hidaka, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Peter Leonard. Thanks to the researchers we spoke to for this episode, including Dr. Nicolas Rouleau and Dr. Andrea Lavazza. And special thanks to Chris Suter and Humdinger Studios. 

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. You can join us for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. 

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