interesting subject matter

interesting concepts covered, had to stop listening, as the narrator kept saying go to the pdf or notes for more info after EVERY single concept or page, making it very hard to concentrate on the story and disrupted the flow of the story.

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I had no choice

I have no choice but to review this book positively, and because of that, my brain will now make decisions It wouldn't have, had somebody prevented me from reading this book

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Annoying a all luck

I made a complaint PDF because the PDF does not contain any footnotes. It’s been several weeks since I made the complaint and nothing has been done. It is absolutely pathetic that accompany like penguin can’t put together a PDF that contains footnotes. I can only imagine that the PDF that has been supplied to audible is not the PDF That was intended when the audible content was produced. Absolutely bloody disgraceful..
Other than that, this is a sensational book. I’m just totally pissed off that I had to go and buy a hard copy of it so that I could read the bloody foot notes really really annoying.

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On point!

So true. And hard to swallow. But true nonetheless, thank you for opening our eyes

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Relevant and accessible

Dr Sapolsky is one of the greatest minds of our generation. Amazed yet again at his depth of insight and artful explanation of neuroscience.

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Please see the accompanying pdf for a footnote

Please see the accompanying pdf for a footnote did my head in and I had to stop listening

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A Comprehensive Exploration of Free Will

Professor Sapolsky's exploration of free will is nothing short of enlightening. His book provides a thorough examination of various perspectives on this complex and debated topic. Here’s a summary of some key viewpoints covered:

Libertarian Free Will: This perspective argues that humans have the genuine ability to make choices free from prior causes or external influences. Libertarians maintain that despite genetic, environmental, or upbringing factors, individuals can still choose freely and thus are morally responsible for their actions. Sapolsky’s discussion on this view highlights its connection to moral accountability and the ongoing debate about whether such freedom truly exists.

Determinism: Sapolsky presents determinism as the view that all events, including human actions, are dictated by prior causes such as natural laws, genetics, and past experiences. According to this viewpoint, our choices are not truly free but rather the result of a chain of cause-and-effect events. Hard determinism, a subset of this view, asserts that everything, including our choices, is preordained and free will is an illusion.

Compatibilism: This approach seeks to reconcile free will with determinism. Compatibilists argue that while our actions may be influenced by prior causes, we can still act freely as long as we are not coerced. For them, free will means acting according to one’s desires and intentions, even if those desires are determined by prior factors. Sapolsky’s treatment of this perspective provides a nuanced understanding of how free will might coexist with determinism.

Illusionism: Sapolsky also explores the view that free will might be an illusion. Advances in neuroscience suggest that many decisions are made unconsciously before we become aware of them. This raises questions about whether our conscious mind truly controls our choices or if these decisions are predetermined by brain processes.

Religious and Theological Views: The book delves into how various religious traditions, including Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, perceive free will. These traditions often view free will as a divine gift that allows humans to choose between good and evil. However, some theological perspectives, like theological determinism, propose that God’s omniscience and omnipotence suggest that all events, including human choices, are predestined.

Professor Sapolsky’s book offers a comprehensive and thought-provoking look at the multifaceted nature of free will. Whether you lean towards the belief in true free will or find the deterministic or illusionist perspectives more convincing, this book is a valuable read for anyone interested in understanding the philosophical, scientific, and theological dimensions of human choice.

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ahead of it's time

interesting thoughts, and very readable, but the world is not ready for this idea yet

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Makes you think..

I already didn’t believe in free will, so my mind hasn’t been changed. However, how we should structure a society in a way that is ‘fair’ let’s say, given this fact, is a massive challenge. I feel this book argues slightly more in favour of socialistic principles than capitalistic ones, which I’ve always disagreed with. Whether people have free will or not, societies that work are better that ones that don’t, even if we don’t have free will and no one really ‘earns’ what they have. Nevertheless, this book has challenged my thinking in a lot of these ways, and even though I doubt my political stance will change, it’s certainly encouraged me to aim to think a little more openly on questions of this nature. Absolutely fantastic read.

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Remarkable

A profound tomb of knowledge and truth. A reference guide for humanity and a humbling rebuke of recalcitrant philosophers.

I’ve ordered the paper edition as I know it will be a reference used often.

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