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Neuroscientist Paul Broks on Free Will and the Brain

Neuroscientist Paul Broks tackles an age-old philosophical argument over whether humans have free will or whether all our thoughts and actions are predetermined.

Paul Broks tackles an age-old philosophical argument over whether humans have free will or whether all events are pre-determined. As a neuroscientist he is interested in the latest info on how our brains work. He also goes back to the 18th century French thinker Henry Poincare who argued that the universe was entirely mechanistic and that therefore all events in it are pre-ordained. Paul talks to researchers in the field including Professor Patrick Haggard of University College London to establish whether there is any place for human free will in a determined universe.

This programme is part of a week of programmes looking at the history of ideas around Freedom.

Producer: Jolyon Jenkins.

Available now

11 minutes

Last on

Fri 17 Aug 2018 12:04

Broadcasts

  • Fri 14 Nov 2014 12:04
  • Fri 17 Aug 2018 12:04

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