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Via the "Evolutionary Psychology" Yahoogroup, I received an article titled "Does Neuroscience Refute Free Will?" today. I started reading it and realized that it discusses the extent to which neuroscience can establish determinism in the behavioral sciences. This debate reaches beyond general scientific discussion, as determinism in the causation of behavior would, among a host of other things, question any culpability in court. The article discusses (not very favorably) a publication by Princeton Psychologist Joshua Greene.This debate lies at the heart of my latest project "Order in Spontaneous Behavior".
UPDATE: In the meantime, I've read the original article and some related texts. Indeed, it is precisely the "criminal neglect" with which spontaneity is treated in articles like these that concerns me. I do believe our new project will produce some data to make this neglect a little harder to justify.
In this my latest project I frame the debate in the context of where variability in behavior comes from. To this end, I produce two alternative models, one deterministic one in which free will does not have room, and an indeterministic one where free will may still exist. In the course of the next few months I will publish data which will allow us to distinguish between the two models and provide solid scientific evidence for or against determinism in the behavioral sciences.
I will also read the aticle in its entirety and maybe comment on it in future blog entries, should the article warrant any comments.
I will also read the aticle in its entirety and maybe comment on it in future blog entries, should the article warrant any comments.
Posted on Friday 21 October 2005 - 18:05:06 comment: 0
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