Building blocks of ‘free will’
In conversation with Dick Swaab
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21493790 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Chris Jones (0000-0002-5044-1336, Stellenbosch University), Dawie J van den Heever (Stellenbosch University) |
| Year | 2020 |
| Volume | 76 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2020-11-20 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0259-9422 • E-ISSN: 2072-8050 |
| Publisher | AOSIS (PUBLISHER • ZA) |
| DOI | 10.4102/hts.v76i1.6056 |
| OpenAlex | W3108726789 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 24 |
The issue of free will is a complex one that has occupied the minds of many theologians and philosophers through the ages. The two main aspects of free will are the freedom to do otherwise and the power of self-determination. This means that an agent must be able to choose from alternative possibilities and that he or she must be the author or source of that choice. Defined as such, it is clear that the issue of free will is undeniably closely linked with the concept of moral responsibility. However, if we live in a deterministic world, where everything is governed by the laws of nature, including our thoughts and behaviour, does this leave room for free will and moral responsibility? As Dutch neurobiologist and author Dick Swaab argues, the answer is an emphatic ‘no’. In this article, we will look at Swaab’s case against free will. We will also see what modern neuroscience has to say about this hot topic and whether it supports or discredits Swaab’s views. And finally, we will touch on what this all means for moral responsibility. Contribution: This article is part of a special collection that reflects on the evolutionary building blocks of our past, present and future. It is based on historical thought and contemporary research. It fits well with the intersectional and inter-disciplinary nature of this collection and journal
Compatibilism · Conversation · Discipline · Environmental ethics · Epistemology · Free will · Moral responsibility · Political science · Sociology · Free Will and Agency · Law · Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical Innovations · Philosophy · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
Aping Mankind
Free Will and Luck
Maturation of the adolescent brain
The neural basis of human moral cognition
Unconscious determinants of free decisions in the human brain
Time of Conscious Intention to Act in Relation to Onset of Cerebral Activity (Readiness-Potential)
Freedom within Reason
Who let the demon out? Laplace and Boscovich on determinism
Moral Issues in the Natural Sciences and Technologies
| Citations per year | 0.33 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2023 - 2023 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |