Free Will: Philosophers and Neuroscientists in Conversation

345 Pages·2022·3.579 MB·English

by  Uri Maoz (editor), Walter Sinnott-Armstrong (editor)

Free Will

Free Will
Philosophers and Neuroscientists
in Conversation
Edited by
URI MAOZ
AND
WALTER SINNOTT-A RMSTRONG
1
3
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Library of Congress Cataloging-i n- Publication Data
Names: Maoz, Uri, editor. | Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter, 1955– editor.
Title: Free will : philosophers and neuroscientists in conversation /
edited by Uri Maoz and Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Duke University.
Description: New York, NY, United States of America :
Oxford University Press, [2022] |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021023162 | ISBN 9780197572160 (paperback) |
ISBN 9780197572153 (hardback) | ISBN 9780197572184 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Free will and determinism—Miscellanea. | Philosophy and
science—Miscellanea. | Medicine—Philosophy—Miscellanea. |
Neurosciences—Miscellanea.
Classification: LCC BJ1461 .F7545 2021 | DDC 123/.5—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021023162
DOI: 10.1093/ oso/ 9780197572153.001.0001
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Paperback printed by Marquis, Canada
Hardback printed by Bridgeport National Bindery, Inc., United States of America
From Uri:
To Tatiana and Michael for their support and encouragement;
to Beata, Tommy, and Danny for their enthusiasm and patience;
to Paul Gluck for his infectious love of science;
as if they had a choice . . .
From Walter:
To David, Don, Ed, Eric, Orin, Patrice, Randy,
and all of my other golfing buddies at Duke,
for freely choosing to play with me.

Contents
Preface xi
Contributors xv
PART I: QUESTIONS FROM NEUROSCIENTISTS
FOR PHILOSOPHERS
SECTION I: QUESTIONS ABOUT WILL
1. What is an intention? 5
Gideon Yaffe
2. What is a will? 13
Pamela Hieronymi
3. When is an action voluntary? 21
Pamela Hieronymi
SECTION II: QUESTIONS ABOUT FREEDOM
4. What is freedom? 33
Walter Sinnott- Armstrong
5. What is free will? 41
Timothy O’Connor
6. Can there be free will in a determined universe? 49
Timothy O’Connor
7. Does free will come in degrees? 57
Jonathan Hall and Tillmann Vierkant
viii Contents
SECTION III: QUESTIONS ABOUT
SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE
8. How can we determine whether or not we have free will? 65
Alfred R. Mele
9. What kind of neuroscientific evidence, if any, could
determine whether anyone has free will? 71
Adina L. Roskies
10. What kind of behavioral experiments, if any, could
determine whether anyone has free will? 80
Tim Bayne
11. Can a robot with artificial intelligence have free will? 86
Jonathan Hall and Tillmann Vierkant
SECTION IV: QUESTIONS ABOUT
CONSCIOUSNESS
12. Do conscious decisions cause physical actions? 95
Ned Block
13. How is consciousness related to freedom of
action or will? 109
Tim Bayne
SECTION V: QUESTIONS
ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY AND
REASONS-R ESPONSIVENESS
14. How is responsibility related to free will, control,
and action? 119
Gideon Yaffe
15. What are reasons? 127
Walter Sinnott- Armstrong
Contents ix
PART II: QUESTIONS FROM PHILOSOPHERS
FOR NEUROSCIENTISTS
SECTION I: QUESTIONS ABOUT WILL
16. What are the main stages in the neural processes
that produce actions? 141
Patrick Haggard and Elisabeth Parés- Pujolràs
17. Does the will correspond to any clearly delineated
brain area or activity? 150
Gabriel Kreiman
18. How are the neural processes for deciding when
to move similar to and different from those for
deciding what or how to move? 158
Antonio Ivano Triggiani and Mark Hallett
19. How are arbitrary and deliberate decisions similar
and different? 165
Jye lyn Bold, Liad Mudrik, and Uri Maoz
20. How do higher-l evel brain areas exert control over
lower- level brain areas? 175
Mark Hallett
SECTION II: QUESTIONS ABOUT INTENTION
21. What are intentions and intentional actions? 185
Elisabeth Parés- Pujolràs and Patrick Haggard
22. What evidence is there that intentions are
represented in the brain? 193
John- Dylan Haynes
23. What is known about the neural correlates of specific
beliefs and desires that inform human choices? 201
Amber Hopkins and Uri Maoz