Determined By Robert Sapolsky

Determined By Robert Sapolsky
About Book
Scientists, philosophers, and theologians have spent millennia debating the existence of free will. In Determined, neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky says that decades of research have led him to two conclusions: First, people do not have free will; and second, accepting this fact will empower us to create a better world for everyone.
This guide will begin by explaining determinism, the theory that every event is predetermined. We’ll then briefly discuss various scientific fields like chaos theory and quantum mechanics; for each, we’ll explain why some people believe that field proves the existence of free will and outline Sapolsky’s rebuttals. Finally, we’ll explore Sapolsky’s argument that determinism compels us to create a fairer, kinder world.
Our commentary will provide background information about human behavior from biology and neuroscience. We’ll also compare and contrast Sapolsky’s theories with ideas about the human will from philosophy and religion. Finally, we’ll suggest some alternate ways to think about Sapolsky’s findings-for instance, even if our choices are predetermined, couldn’t we still say they’re our choices?