The Gray Area with Sean Illing takes a philosophy-minded look at culture, technology, politics, and the world of ideas. Each week, we invite a guest to explore a question or topic that matters. From the the state of democracy, to the struggle with depression and anxiety, to the nature of identity in the digital age, each episode looks for nuance and honesty in the most important conversations of our time. New episodes drop every Monday.
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The case against free will
Sean Illing speaks with Robert Sapolsky, a professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University and the author of a new book called Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will. They discuss the concept of free will, whether it actually exists in the way we think it does, and what it means for society if free will is indeed an illusion.
Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), host, The Gray Area
Guest: Robert Sapolsky, author, Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will
References:
Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will by Robert M. Sapolsky (Penguin Random House, 2023)
Behave by Robert M. Sapolsky (Penguin Random House, 2018)
“Robert Sapolsky Doesn’t Believe in Free Will. (But Feel Free to Disagree.)” by Hope Reese (New York Times, October 2023)
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This episode was made by:
- Engineer: Rob Byers
- Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: A.M. Hall
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