Question

In A Dialogue on Free Will and Science, the characters discuss the implications that a number of scientific experiments have for the issue of free will. Several of these experiments arguably provide good evidence for questioning whether humans have free will (or at least the extent to which we have free will). Select the experiment (or group of experiments) that, in your opinion, provides the greatest challenge to human free will and write an essay in which you do the following:

(1) Describe the major components of the experiment (or group of experiments), including the results.
(2) Explain why a person might reasonably think that this experiment (or group of experiments) provides good reason for thinking that humans don't have free will.
(3) Explain why someone else might reasonably think that the experiment (or group of experiments) does not provide any good reasons for questioning the existence/ extent of human free will.
(4) Provide your own assessment of the extent to which the experiment(s) should make us question human free will.

Answer 1

Libet's experiments suggest our actions are initiated by unconscious neural processes, posing a challenge to free will. Critics argue these findings don't negate free will as the conscious self could still exert control. The experiments inspire a nuanced view rather than denying free will outright.

Step-by-step explanation:

Challenges to the Concept of Free Will

Among the notable experiments that challenge the concept of free will, Benjamin Libet's work stands out. Libet's experiments involved measuring electrical changes in the brain before a subject was consciously aware of the decision to move, suggesting that the brain initiates actions before we make a conscious decision. These results are often interpreted as an indication that our actions are predetermined by unconscious neural processes, therefore questioning the existence of free will.

From these results, one might argue that if our actions are initiated subconsciously, then our feeling of having chosen freely is an illusion. This could deeply impact our understanding of moral responsibility, potentially altering our systems of law and ethics, which are predicated on the assumption that people act freely and intentionally.

However, others could argue that this does not negate free will. A person might think the experiments simply reveal a component of how decisions are made but do not exclude the possibility of a conscious self being able to veto or confirm these impulses, thereby exercising free will. Moreover, due to the complexity of human cognition, it could be said that these experiments are not able to fully capture the nuances of conscious decision-making.

My personal assessment is that while the experiments present compelling evidence for questioning the extent of free will, they do not conclusively disprove it. The concepts of conscious override and the immeasurable nature of subjective experiences must also be considered. Therefore, these experiments should encourage a nuanced view of free will rather than its outright denial.