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. Listen/Subscribe to Big Brains on... the Web: https://news.uchicago.edu/podcasts/big-brains Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/big-brains/id1368737097 Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/big-brains Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2uYYyD1m5o67GROWc9f8id?si=ZIOd4u2cRk6Ds7sKqYJgaw&nd=1 Big Brains Insider eNewsletter: http://eepurl.com/iiMiI5 ➡ Subscribe: http://bit.ly/UCHICAGOytSubscribe 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 About #UChicago: Since its founding in 1890, the University of Chicago has been a destination for rigorous inquiry and field-defining research. This transformative academic experience empowers students and scholars to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas. #UChicago on the Web: Home: http://bit.ly/UCHICAGO-homepage News: http://bit.ly/UCHICAGO-news Facebook: http://bit.ly/UCHICAGO-FB Twitter: http://bit.ly/UCHICAGO-TW Instagram: http://bit.ly/UCHICAGO-IG University of Chicago on YouTube: null *** ACCESSIBILITY: If you experience any technical difficulties with this video or would like to make an accessibility-related request, please email digicomm@uchicago.edu.