We tend to think everyone is affected by sly, psychological techniques – except ourselves.
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Articles on Free will
Displaying 1 - 20 of 28 articles
Having the ability to decide either to do something or not, and to act accordingly, is a basic definition of freedom. Smart buildings challenge this freedom.
Thomas the Tank Engine’s movements are restricted by the tracks, but he still thinks he’s free.
Messages about climate change must be adapted to people’s histories, differences and expectations.
Finding ways to make talking about diversity less of a confrontation and more of a dialogue is crucial.
Plus, a philosopher explains the history of the idea that we might all be living in a simulation. Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast.
Guy is happy living his life unaware that he is just a character in a grand simulation. Could we all be doing same?
In 1983, one study by an American physiologist set off an explosion of research about free will and the brain.
Taking oath is an important tradition before assuming charge of a public office. It entails a commitment to the future. What is the history of oath-taking?
Leading tech companies are increasingly using AI to influence our behaviour. But how persuasive do we find virtual assistants?
The criminal justice system presupposes people generally are free to decide whether or not to engage in criminal behaviour. However, the courts acknowledge not everyone has free will.
Scientists are revealing the extent to which our behaviour is influenced by our genes, calling into question our capacity for free will. But there is still scope for change.
Have you ever watched something because YouTube recommended it to you? You’ve probably been influenced by an algorithm. But at the end of the day, underneath all the algorithms are people.
Is everything predetermined, or is it all random? Or is there something in between that we call free will that defies our attempts to explain it?
If every action spilts the universe into different versions, what does that mean for free will?
The captain of a ship, or a soul, doesn’t sail while ignoring the wind – sometimes they go with it, sometimes against it, but they always account for it.
Your beliefs about free will can have a powerful effect on how you behave.
If an alien landed on Earth, how would you decide if it had free will like us, or was a sophisticated automaton?
By surrendering to technology are humans sleepwalking into a future where free will is less and less of an option?
A new study with fruit flies suggests that we may have less free will when it comes to choosing what we eat than we like to think.
Top contributors
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Senior Research Fellow, Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford
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Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Ethics, Nottingham Trent University
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Professor of Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London
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Associate Professor of Physics, The University of Melbourne
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Honorary senior lecturer, Australian National University
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Associate Professor and Head of Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, The University of Melbourne
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Lecturer in Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Sheffield
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Professor of Philosophy, Macquarie University
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Associate Professor of Marketing, Toronto Metropolitan University
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Professor Emerita of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
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King's College London
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Professor of Philosophy, King's College
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Academic Fellow, University of Sydney
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Professor of Data Science, University of Adelaide
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Ph.D. Candidate in Social and Personality Psychology, Texas A&M University
