English language
Published July 29, 2012 by Free Press.
Free Will is a 2012 book by the American neuroscientist Sam Harris. It argues that free will is an illusion, but that this does not undermine morality or diminish the importance of political and social freedom, and that it can and should change the way we think about some of the most important questions in life.
Nothing new for me, I already knew Harris's view. Still nice.
Nothing new for me, I already knew Harris's view. Still nice.
It's a great little book. A bit short, but it makes the point. I just like knowing the position exists and has a sound basis in science. It's almost like saying you can be a Calvinist and an atheist at the same time—paradoxically. I suppose this format helps Harris deliver his message better than just telling people to go watch his YouTube video on the subject.
It's a great little book. A bit short, but it makes the point. I just like knowing the position exists and has a sound basis in science. It's almost like saying you can be a Calvinist and an atheist at the same time—paradoxically. I suppose this format helps Harris deliver his message better than just telling people to go watch his YouTube video on the subject.
Massive strawman. Define free will as something absurd, basically only what we consciously control, and knock it down.
Strangely enough, this short format could have been shorter. Whereas for Lying I said the opposite. Either I'm really picky, the topics deserved opposite lengths, or the short format is very difficult to master.
Strangely enough, this short format could have been shorter. Whereas for Lying I said the opposite. Either I'm really picky, the topics deserved opposite lengths, or the short format is very difficult to master.
Sam Harris is definitely an important thinker of our time. His short, but effective, book on how neuroscience shows that free will is a chemically induced illusion. I don't know if his is the final word, but it's certainly a new line in the sand for philosophical libertarians and compatibilists to cross.
However, I think Harris does himself a disservice by moving beyond the scope of arguments against free will into the realm of how we can understand moral obligations in light of determinism. It may be that he simply didn't give himself enough room, and his moral arguments may make complete sense. But if that's the case, he didn't show how in this book.
Full review available at curtisweyant.com.
Sam Harris is definitely an important thinker of our time. His short, but effective, book on how neuroscience shows that free will is a chemically induced illusion. I don't know if his is the final word, but it's certainly a new line in the sand for philosophical libertarians and compatibilists to cross.
However, I think Harris does himself a disservice by moving beyond the scope of arguments against free will into the realm of how we can understand moral obligations in light of determinism. It may be that he simply didn't give himself enough room, and his moral arguments may make complete sense. But if that's the case, he didn't show how in this book.
Full review available at curtisweyant.com.
Purchasable
https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781442353053-free-will.