Determined : life without free will
Sapolsky, Robert M.2023
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Behind every thought, action and experience there lies a chain of biological and environmental causes, stretching back from the moment a neuron fires to the dawn of our species and beyond. Nowhere in this infinite sequence is there a place where free will could play a role. Without free will, it makes no more sense to punish people for antisocial behaviour than it does to scold a car for breaking down. It is no one's fault they are poor or overweight or unsuccessful, nor do people deserve praise for their talent or hard work; 'grit' is a myth. This mechanistic view of human behaviour challenges our most powerful instincts, but history suggests that we have already made great strides toward it: where once we saw demonic possession or cowardice, for example, now we diagnose illness or trauma and offer help. This book confronts us with our true nature: who and what we are is biology and nothing more.
Main title:
Determined : life without free will / Robert M. Sapolsky.
Author:
Sapolsky, Robert M., author
Imprint:
London : The Bodley Head, 2023.
Collation:
511 pages : illustrations (black and white) ; 24 cm
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:
9781847925534 (hbk. :)
Language:
English
Subject:
BRN:
2384854