A podcast about how we understand the world, scientifically and as humans. Each conversation brings together visionaries from the worlds of arts, sciences, humanities, and technology discussing the nature of reality and how we collaborate to create the future. Hosted by Dr Brian Keating, Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Physics at UC San Diego. For show notes go to: https://briankeating.com/podcast
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episode 378: Why There’s No Such Thing as Free Will w/ Robert Sapolsky
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Whether or not there is free will has tortured scientists from many fields since philosophers in ancient Greece started wondering about it.
But for one scientist, there’s no question about it…
Meet neuroendocrinology researcher, bestselling author, and Stanford University professor – Robert Sapolsky! Sapolsky’s journey has led him from studying stress and neuronal degeneration in wild baboons in Kenya to exploring the relationship between schizotypal disorders and the emergence of shamanism and the major Western religions.
But more recently, Sapolsky has plunged into philosophical waters, studying free will, or rather the lack thereof, to come up with A Science of Life Without Free Will.
Today, he’s here to present his case! Tune in.
Key Takeaways:
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:27 How can we understand free will without understanding consciousness?
00:04:30 Panpsychism
00:07:25 Quantum indeterminacy and free will
00:15:17 Do baboons have free will?
00:19:36 Are there levels of determinism?
00:30:46 The neuroscience of free will
00:37:42 Free will, ethics, and a criminal justice reform
00:45:58 Punishment and justice in Judaism
00:54:37 God’s omniscience and free will
01:01:16 What can we learn from baboons?
01:05:26 The most magical discovery
01:08:11 What did Robert change his mind on?
01:10:08 Outro
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