The Myth Of Free Will

Author : Sam Harris
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 96 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2012-03-06
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781451683400

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Free Will by Sam Harris Pdf

From the New York Times bestselling author of The End of Faith, a thought-provoking, "brilliant and witty" (Oliver Sacks) look at the notion of free will—and the implications that it is an illusion. A belief in free will touches nearly everything that human beings value. It is difficult to think about law, politics, religion, public policy, intimate relationships, morality—as well as feelings of remorse or personal achievement—without first imagining that every person is the true source of his or her thoughts and actions. And yet the facts tell us that free will is an illusion. In this enlightening book, Sam Harris argues that this truth about the human mind does not undermine morality or diminish the importance of social and political freedom, but it can and should change the way we think about some of the most important questions in life.

Author : Heidi M. Ravven
Publisher : New Press, The
Page : 437 pages
File Size : 44,6 Mb
Release : 2014-09-16
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781595588005

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The Self Beyond Itself by Heidi M. Ravven Pdf

“Intertwines history, philosophy, and science . . . A powerful challenge to conventional notions of individual responsibility” (Publishers Weekly). Few concepts are more unshakable in our culture than free will, the idea that individuals are fundamentally in control of the decisions they make, good or bad. And yet the latest research about how the brain functions seems to point in the opposite direction . . . In a work of breathtaking intellectual sweep and erudition, Heidi M. Ravven offers a riveting and accessible review of cutting-edge neuroscientific research into the brain’s capacity for decision-making—from “mirror” neurons and “self-mapping” to surprising new understandings of group psychology. The Self Beyond Itself also introduces readers to a rich, alternative philosophical tradition of ethics, rooted in the writing of Baruch Spinoza, that finds uncanny confirmation in modern science. Illustrating the results of today’s research with real-life examples, taking readers from elementary school classrooms to Nazi concentration camps, Ravven demonstrates that it is possible to build a theory of ethics that doesn’t rely on free will yet still holds both individuals and groups responsible for the decisions that help create a good society. The Self Beyond Itself is that rare book that injects new ideas into an old debate—and “an important contribution to the development of our thinking about morality” (Washington Independent Review of Books). “An intellectual hand-grenade . . . A magisterial survey of how contemporary neuroscience supports a vision of human morality which puts it squarely on the same plane as other natural phenomena.” —William D. Casebeer, author of Natural Ethical Facts

Author : Yuval Noah Harari
Publisher : HarperCollins
Page : 464 pages
File Size : 47,7 Mb
Release : 2017-02-21
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780062464354

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Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari Pdf

Official U.S. edition with full color illustrations throughout. NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Yuval Noah Harari, author of the critically-acclaimed New York Times bestseller and international phenomenon Sapiens, returns with an equally original, compelling, and provocative book, turning his focus toward humanity’s future, and our quest to upgrade humans into gods. Over the past century humankind has managed to do the impossible and rein in famine, plague, and war. This may seem hard to accept, but, as Harari explains in his trademark style—thorough, yet riveting—famine, plague and war have been transformed from incomprehensible and uncontrollable forces of nature into manageable challenges. For the first time ever, more people die from eating too much than from eating too little; more people die from old age than from infectious diseases; and more people commit suicide than are killed by soldiers, terrorists and criminals put together. The average American is a thousand times more likely to die from binging at McDonalds than from being blown up by Al Qaeda. What then will replace famine, plague, and war at the top of the human agenda? As the self-made gods of planet earth, what destinies will we set ourselves, and which quests will we undertake? Homo Deus explores the projects, dreams and nightmares that will shape the twenty-first century—from overcoming death to creating artificial life. It asks the fundamental questions: Where do we go from here? And how will we protect this fragile world from our own destructive powers? This is the next stage of evolution. This is Homo Deus. With the same insight and clarity that made Sapiens an international hit and a New York Times bestseller, Harari maps out our future.

Author : Christian List
Publisher : Harvard University Press
Page : 225 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2019-05-06
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780674239814

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Why Free Will Is Real by Christian List Pdf

A crystal-clear, scientifically rigorous argument for the existence of free will, challenging what many scientists and scientifically minded philosophers believe. Philosophers have argued about the nature and the very existence of free will for centuries. Today, many scientists and scientifically minded commentators are skeptical that it exists, especially when it is understood to require the ability to choose between alternative possibilities. If the laws of physics govern everything that happens, they argue, then how can our choices be free? Believers in free will must be misled by habit, sentiment, or religious doctrine. Why Free Will Is Real defies scientific orthodoxy and presents a bold new defense of free will in the same naturalistic terms that are usually deployed against it. Unlike those who defend free will by giving up the idea that it requires alternative possibilities to choose from, Christian List retains this idea as central, resisting the tendency to defend free will by watering it down. He concedes that free will and its prerequisites—intentional agency, alternative possibilities, and causal control over our actions—cannot be found among the fundamental physical features of the natural world. But, he argues, that’s not where we should be looking. Free will is a “higher-level” phenomenon found at the level of psychology. It is like other phenomena that emerge from physical processes but are autonomous from them and not best understood in fundamental physical terms—like an ecosystem or the economy. When we discover it in its proper context, acknowledging that free will is real is not just scientifically respectable; it is indispensable for explaining our world.

Author : Paul Singh
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2016
Category : Consciousness
ISBN : 0997054107

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The Great Illusion by Paul Singh Pdf

"'The Great Illusion' takes a scientific look at the brain itself, presenting research that supports the naturalistic stance that the mind is identical to the brain. Singh argues that if we take seriously the idea that the mind is the brain then it follows logically that free will must be an illusion, that there can be no consciousness independent of the brain, and that there can be no substantial self that exists independently from the brain. He further argues that there can be no such thing as absolute moral responsibility"--Back cover.

Author : Albert Camus
Publisher : Penguin UK
Page : 211 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2013-10-31
Category : Literary Collections
ISBN : 9780141914176

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The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus Pdf

In this profound and moving philosophical statement, Camus poses the fundamental question: Is life worth living? If human existence holds no significance, what can keep us from suicide? As Camus argues, if there is no God to give meaning to our lives, humans must take on that purpose themselves. This is our 'absurd' task, like Sisyphus forever rolling his rock up a hill, as the inevitability of death constantly overshadows us. Written during the bleakest days of the Second World War, The Myth of Sisyphus argues for an acceptance of reality that encompasses revolt, passion and, above all, liberty. This volume contains several other essays, including lyrical evocations of the sunlit cities of Algiers and Oran, the settings of his great novels The Outsider and The Plague. Albert Camus is the author of a number of best-selling and highly influential works, all of which are published by Penguin. They include The Fall, The Outsider and The First Man. He is remembered as one of the few writers to have shaped the intellectual climate of post-war France, but beyond that, his fame has been international. Translated by Justin O'Brien With an Introduction by James Wood

Author : Cris Evatt
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 100 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 2007-02-01
Category : Free will and determinism
ISBN : 0970818173

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The Myth of Free Will by Cris Evatt Pdf

Current opinions on Free Will by over 40 of the world's most respected thinkers Steven Pinker, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, V. S. Ramachandran, Michael Shermer, Thomas W. Clark, and Daniel Wegner are just a few of the scholars featured in this book. The foreword is by Susan Blackmore, author of "The Meme Machine."

Author : Kent Greenfield
Publisher : Yale University Press
Page : 316 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2011-09-15
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9780300178876

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The Myth of Choice by Kent Greenfield Pdf

Freedom of choice is at the core of the American story. But what if choice is fake?Americans are fixated on the idea of choice. Our political theory is based on the consent of the governed. Our legal system is built upon the argument that people freely make choices and bear responsibility for them. And what slogan could better express the heart of our consumer culture than "Have it your way"?In this provocative book, Kent Greenfield poses unsettling questions about the choices we make. What if they are more constrained and limited than we like to think? If we have less free will than we realize, what are the implications for us as individuals and for our society? To uncover the answers, Greenfield taps into scholarship on topics ranging from brain science to economics, political theory to sociology. His discoveries—told through an entertaining array of news events, personal anecdotes, crime stories, and legal decisions—confirm that many factors, conscious and unconscious, limit our free will. Worse, by failing to perceive them we leave ourselves open to manipulation. But Greenfield offers useful suggestions to help us become better decision makers as individuals, and to ensure that in our laws and public policy we acknowledge the complexity of choice.

Author : Cris Evatt
Publisher : Cafe Conversations
Page : 140 pages
File Size : 45,5 Mb
Release : 2010
Category : Self-Help
ISBN : 0970818181

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The Myth of Free Will by Cris Evatt Pdf

Illuminating, uplifting and lighthearted, the third edition of THE MYTH OF FREE WILL expands on the powerful ideas in the first edition by offering 50 more pages of quotes and short essays on free will. The contents are divided into six chapters: 1) But It Seems So Real! 2) The Myth & Causality 3) The Myth & Morality 4) The Myth & the Brain 5) The Myth & Naturalism 6) The Myth & Me. There is a quiz, eight lessons, illustrations and a glossary. Contributors include Thomas W. Clark, Daniel Wegner, Steven Pinker, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Michael Shermer, William B. Provine, Paul Bloom, Antonio Damasio, Francis Crick, Eric Kandel, Robert Sapolsky, Arnell Dowret, Read Montague, Lee M. Silver, Matt Ridley, Ginger Campbell, V.S. Ramachandran, Douglas Hofstadter, Kurt Vonnegut, Tamler Sommers, Mark Twain and Albert Einstein. Author Susan Blackmore contributes a nice foreword, in which she says we can live without free will, and do better, personally, morally and practically. In all, 50 leading thinkers are represented. The book strives to answer the question, Who is saying we don't have free will and what are their credentials? It's mostly an anthology, definitely not a philosophy text. It was written for a mainstream audience, for people who wonder: Do I have free will? If not, why does it feel like I do? And it was written for people who understand that free will is a myth (the choir) and want to share this understanding with friends who might feel disturbed or intimidated by the subject. Finally, THE MYTH OF FREE WILL presents a fresh, quirky, yet profound treatment of an esoteric topic that's destined to become edgy.

Author : Bernard E. Harcourt
Publisher : Harvard University Press
Page : 337 pages
File Size : 43,6 Mb
Release : 2012-11-12
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780674971325

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The Illusion of Free Markets by Bernard E. Harcourt Pdf

It is widely believed today that the free market is the best mechanism ever invented to efficiently allocate resources in society. Just as fundamental as faith in the free market is the belief that government has a legitimate and competent role in policing and the punishment arena. This curious incendiary combination of free market efficiency and the Big Brother state has become seemingly obvious, but it hinges on the illusion of a supposedly natural order in the economic realm. The Illusion of Free Markets argues that our faith in “free markets” has severely distorted American politics and punishment practices. Bernard Harcourt traces the birth of the idea of natural order to eighteenth-century economic thought and reveals its gradual evolution through the Chicago School of economics and ultimately into today’s myth of the free market. The modern category of “liberty” emerged in reaction to an earlier, integrated vision of punishment and public economy, known in the eighteenth century as “police.” This development shaped the dominant belief today that competitive markets are inherently efficient and should be sharply demarcated from a government-run penal sphere. This modern vision rests on a simple but devastating illusion. Superimposing the political categories of “freedom” or “discipline” on forms of market organization has the unfortunate effect of obscuring rather than enlightening. It obscures by making both the free market and the prison system seem natural and necessary. In the process, it facilitated the birth of the penitentiary system in the nineteenth century and its ultimate culmination into mass incarceration today.

Author : James B. Miles
Publisher : Troubador Publishing Ltd
Page : 312 pages
File Size : 47,7 Mb
Release : 2018-10-02
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781784628321

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The Free Will Delusion by James B. Miles Pdf

Poverty is not accident, but design. We are not all equal before the law. And the central message of contemporary ethics is that only some people matter.

Author : Norman Haughness
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 500 pages
File Size : 55,6 Mb
Release : 2006-01-01
Category : Free will and determinism
ISBN : 0975929917

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Grandest Illusion by Norman Haughness Pdf

Author : Richard Joyce
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 265 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2001-11-22
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781139430937

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The Myth of Morality by Richard Joyce Pdf

In The Myth of Morality, Richard Joyce argues that moral discourse is hopelessly flawed. At the heart of ordinary moral judgements is a notion of moral inescapability, or practical authority, which, upon investigation, cannot be reasonably defended. Joyce argues that natural selection is to blame, in that it has provided us with a tendency to invest the world with values that it does not contain, and demands that it does not make. Should we therefore do away with morality, as we did away with other faulty notions such as witches? Possibly not. We may be able to carry on with morality as a 'useful fiction' - allowing it to have a regulative influence on our lives and decisions, perhaps even playing a central role - while not committing ourselves to believing or asserting falsehoods, and thus not being subject to accusations of 'error'.

Author : Tom Stern
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 467 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2019-04-18
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781107161368

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The New Cambridge Companion to Nietzsche by Tom Stern Pdf

Provides comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of Nietzsche's philosophy, his key works and themes, his major influences and his legacy.

Author : Daniel M. Wegner
Publisher : MIT Press
Page : 725 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2003-08-11
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780262290555

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The Illusion of Conscious Will by Daniel M. Wegner Pdf

A novel contribution to the age-old debate about free will versus determinism. Do we consciously cause our actions, or do they happen to us? Philosophers, psychologists, neuroscientists, theologians, and lawyers have long debated the existence of free will versus determinism. In this book Daniel Wegner offers a novel understanding of the issue. Like actions, he argues, the feeling of conscious will is created by the mind and brain. Yet if psychological and neural mechanisms are responsible for all human behavior, how could we have conscious will? The feeling of conscious will, Wegner shows, helps us to appreciate and remember our authorship of the things our minds and bodies do. Yes, we feel that we consciously will our actions, Wegner says, but at the same time, our actions happen to us. Although conscious will is an illusion, it serves as a guide to understanding ourselves and to developing a sense of responsibility and morality. Approaching conscious will as a topic of psychological study, Wegner examines the issue from a variety of angles. He looks at illusions of the will—those cases where people feel that they are willing an act that they are not doing or, conversely, are not willing an act that they in fact are doing. He explores conscious will in hypnosis, Ouija board spelling, automatic writing, and facilitated communication, as well as in such phenomena as spirit possession, dissociative identity disorder, and trance channeling. The result is a book that sidesteps endless debates to focus, more fruitfully, on the impact on our lives of the illusion of conscious will.