1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910878992203321

Autore

Schleim Stephan

Titolo

Science and Free Will : Neurophilosophical Controversies and What It Means to Be Human / / by Stephan Schleim

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Berlin, Heidelberg : , : Springer Berlin Heidelberg : , : Imprint : Springer, , 2024

ISBN

9783662694503

9783662694497

Edizione

[1st ed. 2024.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (223 pages)

Collana

The Frontiers Collection, , 2197-6619

Disciplina

128.2

Soggetti

Philosophy of mind

Physics

Astronomy

Neurosciences

Physics - Philosophy

Philosophy of Mind

Physics and Astronomy

Neuroscience

Philosophical Foundations of Physics and Astronomy

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di contenuto

1. Introduction: Humans as natural or cultural beings -- 2. Philosophical preliminaries to free will -- 3. Max Planck's argument -- 4. Determinism and causality -- 5. Today's physicists on free will -- 6. Free will in biology and neuroscience -- 7. Interim conclusion -- 8. Freedom and responsibility in law and morality -- 9. Scientists are also just humans -- 10. All too human neuro-fallacies -- 11. Psychology: What we can positively say about freedom -- Epilogue and acknowledgements -- A. Max Planck's original essay from 1939: On the nature of free will -- B. Suggestions for further thinking and for teaching.

Sommario/riassunto

Free will is one of the most discussed topics in neuroscience, psychology and philosophy. Many even assume that our view of human nature and our social order are at stake. This book shows that the



academic debate is often conducted under misleading assumptions: Practical freedom should not only be explored in quixotic laboratory experiments. Therefore, in the second part of Science and Free Will the problem is related to real decisions in our everyday lives. But first, important basic knowledge from over 2,500 years of our cultural history is conveyed. Learn how already Socrates rejected the idea that humans are only the sum of their physical parts. The book then shows how the dispute over free will in Christianity almost led to a civil war. From the 18th century onwards, scientifically influenced ideas became increasingly important. Biology, physiology and physics have an extensive say before psychology and brain research take over the topic. Science and Free Will explains why the endless debate over determinism is not the core of the problem. Well-known physicists such as Max Planck, Albert Einstein and Anton Zeilinger are discussed. The question is not whether our decisions are causally determined, but rather what causes play a role. What this means for the law, science and how we can still be free is discussed in detail at the end.