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The place of Free Will: the freedom of the prisoner

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Abstract

Debates about the concept of Free Will date back to ancient times. About 40 years ago, Benjamin Libet designed an experiment showing that the conscious intention to move is preceded by a specific pattern of brain activation. His finding suggested that unconscious processes determine our decisions. Libet-style experiments have continued to dominate the debate about Free Will, pushing some authors to argue that the existence of Free Will is a mere illusion. We believe that this dispute is because we often measure Free Will using arbitrary human decisions rather than deliberate actions. After reviewing the definition of Free Will and the related literature, we conclude that the scientific evidence does not disprove the existence of Free Will. However, our will encounters several constraints and limitations that should be considered when evaluating our deeds’ personal responsibility.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Romolo Benzi, 48, 41126, Modena, Italy

    Paolo F. Nichelli

  2. Brain Injury Research, Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Think and Speak Lab, 25th Floor, Northeast Corner, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, 355 E. Erie Street, Chicago, IL, 60611-5146, USA

    Jordan Grafman

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  1. Paolo F. Nichelli
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Nichelli, P.F., Grafman, J. The place of Free Will: the freedom of the prisoner. Neurol Sci 45, 861–871 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-023-07138-4

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