The Experimental Approach to Free Will: Freedom in the Laboratory

Psychologists and neurobiologists have conducted experiments that suggest human beings do not have free will. Katherine A. Rogers argues that these experiments should not undermine belief in human freedom, even robust, libertarian freedom. She highlights a long list of problems facing the experimental study of free will and concludes that it is more reasonable to suppose that humans do indeed have freedom.

Format: Hardback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 30 March 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Recently, psychologists and neurobiologists have conducted experiments aimed at demonstrating that human beings do not possess free will. A significant number of philosophers, including many who subscribe to the idea of libertarian free will, believe that, even if science has not definitively settled the issue of free will, it is only a matter of time before it does. In her book "The Experimental Approach to Free Will," Katherine A. Rogers undertakes several important tasks. Firstly, she canvasses the literature critical of these recent experiments and adds new criticisms of her own. Through this discussion, she demonstrates why these experiments should not undermine belief in human freedom, even robust libertarian freedom. Indeed, many of the experiments do not align with any philosophical understanding of free will.

Rogers generates a comprehensive list of problems facing the attempt to study free will experimentally. These problems encompass ethical considerations as well as practical challenges. By highlighting these issues, Rogers shows that, even in the distant future, if the brain sciences advance far beyond their current state, it will likely remain impossible to settle the question of free will experimentally. She concludes that, since philosophy has not, and science cannot, settle the question of free will, it is more reasonable to suppose that humans do indeed possess freedom.

Rogers brings together and adds to criticisms of recent experiments (or conclusions drawn from them) that supposedly show that human beings do not have free will. She analyzes these experiments through the lens of a philosophically informed portrait of robust, libertarian free choice. By doing so, she develops a long list of problems that both practical and ethical researchers must address when studying human freedom experimentally.

In conclusion, "The Experimental Approach to Free Will" is a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about human freedom. Rogers' book provides a comprehensive analysis of the experimental evidence and raises important questions about the methodology and implications of studying free will experimentally. By challenging the assumptions underlying these experiments and highlighting the problems they pose, Rogers makes a strong case for the continued belief in human freedom, even in the face of scientific evidence to the contrary.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032194028