The Dissenter | #842 Kevin Mitchell - Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will @TheDissenterRL | Uploaded October 2023 | Updated October 2024, 9 hours ago.
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This show is sponsored by Enlites, Learning & Development done differently. Check the website here: enlites.com
Dr. Kevin Mitchell is Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin. He is interested in the development of connectivity in the brain, specifically in how this process is controlled by genes and how mutations in such genes affect the connectivity of neuronal circuits, influence behavior and perception and contribute to disease. His latest book is Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will.
In this episode, we focus on Free Agents. We start by discussing how scientists approach free will, and if we should define free will. We go through some of the major steps in the evolution of free will, and talk about the origins of life on Earth; informational causation; the purpose of life; meaning and value; the evolution of decision making; agency; the evolution of nervous systems; the neocortex; and self-awareness. We talk about how we simulate different courses of action, and how we should understand decision making as a process. We discuss indeterminacy in Physics and Neuroscience. We talk about the Libet experiments, and studies of brain legions. We discuss personality traits and other psychological predispositions. We talk about constraints and top-down causation. Finally, we discuss the link between free will and moral responsibility.
Time Links:
00:00 Intro
00:35 How scientists approach free will
03:36 Defining free will
08:39 The origins of life on Earth
13:14 Informational causation
19:07 Does life have purpose?
21:21 The evolution of decision making
25:28 Agency
29:44 The evolution of nervous systems
32:57 The neocortex, and the decoupling of perception from action
38:03 Self-awareness
40:22 Simulating possible courses of action
46:16 Understanding decision making as a process
53:03 Indeterminacy in Physics and Neuroscience
1:05:24 Brain legions
1:09:12 Personality traits and other psychological predispositions
1:20:55 Constraints and top-down causation
1:26:04 Free will and moral responsibility
1:32:23 Follow Dr. Mitchell’s work!
--
Follow Dr. Mitchell’s work:
Our first interview: youtu.be/VBc9Ava4Dgg
Our second interview: youtu.be/6Ugbm6HJko4
Faculty page: bit.ly/32qe0rS
Personal website: bit.ly/33Bpuc7
Free Agents: bit.ly/3GX0TEZ
Wiring the Brain (blog): bit.ly/2MKhzCA
ResearchGate profile: bit.ly/2LVNCBJ
Twitter handle: @WiringTheBrain
--
A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: PER HELGE LARSEN, JERRY MULLER, HANS FREDRIK SUNDE, BERNARDO SEIXAS, OLAF ALEX, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, JOHN CONNORS, FILIP FORS CONNOLLY, DAN DEMETRIOU, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, COLIN HOLBROOK, SIMON COLUMBUS, PHIL KAVANAGH, MIKKEL STORMYR, SAMUEL ANDREEFF, FRANCIS FORDE, TIAGO NUNES, FERGAL CUSSEN, HAL HERZOG, NUNO MACHADO, JONATHAN LEIBRANT, JOÃO LINHARES, STANTON T, SAMUEL CORREA, ERIK HAINES, MARK SMITH, JOÃO EIRA, TOM HUMMEL, SARDUS FRANCE, DAVID SLOAN WILSON, YACILA DEZA-ARAUJO, ROMAIN ROCH, DIEGO LONDOÑO CORREA, YANICK PUNTER, ADANER USMANI, CHARLOTTE BLEASE, NICOLE BARBARO, ADAM HUNT, PAWEL OSTASZEWSKI, NELLEKE BAK, GUY MADISON, GARY G HELLMANN, SAIMA AFZAL, ADRIAN JAEGGI, PAULO TOLENTINO, JOÃO BARBOSA, JULIAN PRICE, EDWARD HALL, HEDIN BRØNNER, DOUGLAS FRY, FRANCA BORTOLOTTI, GABRIEL PONS CORTÈS, URSULA LITZCKE, SCOTT, ZACHARY FISH, TIM DUFFY, SUNNY SMITH, JON WISMAN, DANIEL FRIEDMAN, WILLIAM BUCKNER, PAUL-GEORGE ARNAUD, LUKE GLOWACKI, GEORGIOS THEOPHANOUS, CHRIS WILLIAMSON, PETER WOLOSZYN, DAVID WILLIAMS, DIOGO COSTA, ANTON ERIKSSON, CHARLES MOREY, ALEX CHAU, AMAURI MARTÍNEZ, CORALIE CHEVALLIER, BANGALORE ATHEISTS, LARRY D. LEE JR., OLD HERRINGBONE, STARRY, MICHAEL BAILEY, DAN SPERBER, ROBERT GRESSIS, IGOR N, JEFF MCMAHAN, JAKE ZUEHL, BARNABAS RADICS, MARK CAMPBELL, TOMAS DAUBNER, LUKE NISSEN, CHRIS STORY, KIMBERLY JOHNSON, BENJAMIN GELBART, JESSICA NOWICKI, LINDA BRANDIN, NIKLAS CARLSSON, ISMAËL BENSLIMANE, GEORGE CHORIATIS, VALENTIN STEINMANN, PER KRAULIS, KATE VON GOELER, ALEXANDER HUBBARD, LIAM DUNAWAY, BR, MASOUD ALIMOHAMMADI, PURPENDICULAR, JONAS HERTNER, URSULA GOODENOUGH, GREGORY HASTINGS, AND DAVID PINSOF!
A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PRODUCERS, YZAR WEHBE, JIM FRANK, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK, TOM VANEGDOM, BERNARD HUGUENEY, CURTIS DIXON, BENEDIKT MUELLER, THOMAS TRUMBLE, KATHRINE AND PATRICK TOBIN, JONCARLO MONTENEGRO, AL NICK ORTIZ, AND NICK GOLDEN!
AND TO MY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS, MATTHEW LAVENDER, SERGIU CODREANU, BOGDAN KANIVETS, AND ROSEY!
------------------Support the channel------------
Patreon: patreon.com/thedissenter
PayPal: paypal.me/thedissenter
PayPal Subscription 3 Dollars: tinyurl.com/ybn6bg9l
PayPal Subscription 5 Dollars: tinyurl.com/ycmr9gpz
PayPal Subscription 10 Dollars: tinyurl.com/y9r3fc9m
PayPal Subscription 20 Dollars: tinyurl.com/y95uvkao
This show is sponsored by Enlites, Learning & Development done differently. Check the website here: enlites.com
Dr. Kevin Mitchell is Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin. He is interested in the development of connectivity in the brain, specifically in how this process is controlled by genes and how mutations in such genes affect the connectivity of neuronal circuits, influence behavior and perception and contribute to disease. His latest book is Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will.
In this episode, we focus on Free Agents. We start by discussing how scientists approach free will, and if we should define free will. We go through some of the major steps in the evolution of free will, and talk about the origins of life on Earth; informational causation; the purpose of life; meaning and value; the evolution of decision making; agency; the evolution of nervous systems; the neocortex; and self-awareness. We talk about how we simulate different courses of action, and how we should understand decision making as a process. We discuss indeterminacy in Physics and Neuroscience. We talk about the Libet experiments, and studies of brain legions. We discuss personality traits and other psychological predispositions. We talk about constraints and top-down causation. Finally, we discuss the link between free will and moral responsibility.
Time Links:
00:00 Intro
00:35 How scientists approach free will
03:36 Defining free will
08:39 The origins of life on Earth
13:14 Informational causation
19:07 Does life have purpose?
21:21 The evolution of decision making
25:28 Agency
29:44 The evolution of nervous systems
32:57 The neocortex, and the decoupling of perception from action
38:03 Self-awareness
40:22 Simulating possible courses of action
46:16 Understanding decision making as a process
53:03 Indeterminacy in Physics and Neuroscience
1:05:24 Brain legions
1:09:12 Personality traits and other psychological predispositions
1:20:55 Constraints and top-down causation
1:26:04 Free will and moral responsibility
1:32:23 Follow Dr. Mitchell’s work!
--
Follow Dr. Mitchell’s work:
Our first interview: youtu.be/VBc9Ava4Dgg
Our second interview: youtu.be/6Ugbm6HJko4
Faculty page: bit.ly/32qe0rS
Personal website: bit.ly/33Bpuc7
Free Agents: bit.ly/3GX0TEZ
Wiring the Brain (blog): bit.ly/2MKhzCA
ResearchGate profile: bit.ly/2LVNCBJ
Twitter handle: @WiringTheBrain
--
A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: PER HELGE LARSEN, JERRY MULLER, HANS FREDRIK SUNDE, BERNARDO SEIXAS, OLAF ALEX, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, JOHN CONNORS, FILIP FORS CONNOLLY, DAN DEMETRIOU, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, COLIN HOLBROOK, SIMON COLUMBUS, PHIL KAVANAGH, MIKKEL STORMYR, SAMUEL ANDREEFF, FRANCIS FORDE, TIAGO NUNES, FERGAL CUSSEN, HAL HERZOG, NUNO MACHADO, JONATHAN LEIBRANT, JOÃO LINHARES, STANTON T, SAMUEL CORREA, ERIK HAINES, MARK SMITH, JOÃO EIRA, TOM HUMMEL, SARDUS FRANCE, DAVID SLOAN WILSON, YACILA DEZA-ARAUJO, ROMAIN ROCH, DIEGO LONDOÑO CORREA, YANICK PUNTER, ADANER USMANI, CHARLOTTE BLEASE, NICOLE BARBARO, ADAM HUNT, PAWEL OSTASZEWSKI, NELLEKE BAK, GUY MADISON, GARY G HELLMANN, SAIMA AFZAL, ADRIAN JAEGGI, PAULO TOLENTINO, JOÃO BARBOSA, JULIAN PRICE, EDWARD HALL, HEDIN BRØNNER, DOUGLAS FRY, FRANCA BORTOLOTTI, GABRIEL PONS CORTÈS, URSULA LITZCKE, SCOTT, ZACHARY FISH, TIM DUFFY, SUNNY SMITH, JON WISMAN, DANIEL FRIEDMAN, WILLIAM BUCKNER, PAUL-GEORGE ARNAUD, LUKE GLOWACKI, GEORGIOS THEOPHANOUS, CHRIS WILLIAMSON, PETER WOLOSZYN, DAVID WILLIAMS, DIOGO COSTA, ANTON ERIKSSON, CHARLES MOREY, ALEX CHAU, AMAURI MARTÍNEZ, CORALIE CHEVALLIER, BANGALORE ATHEISTS, LARRY D. LEE JR., OLD HERRINGBONE, STARRY, MICHAEL BAILEY, DAN SPERBER, ROBERT GRESSIS, IGOR N, JEFF MCMAHAN, JAKE ZUEHL, BARNABAS RADICS, MARK CAMPBELL, TOMAS DAUBNER, LUKE NISSEN, CHRIS STORY, KIMBERLY JOHNSON, BENJAMIN GELBART, JESSICA NOWICKI, LINDA BRANDIN, NIKLAS CARLSSON, ISMAËL BENSLIMANE, GEORGE CHORIATIS, VALENTIN STEINMANN, PER KRAULIS, KATE VON GOELER, ALEXANDER HUBBARD, LIAM DUNAWAY, BR, MASOUD ALIMOHAMMADI, PURPENDICULAR, JONAS HERTNER, URSULA GOODENOUGH, GREGORY HASTINGS, AND DAVID PINSOF!
A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PRODUCERS, YZAR WEHBE, JIM FRANK, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK, TOM VANEGDOM, BERNARD HUGUENEY, CURTIS DIXON, BENEDIKT MUELLER, THOMAS TRUMBLE, KATHRINE AND PATRICK TOBIN, JONCARLO MONTENEGRO, AL NICK ORTIZ, AND NICK GOLDEN!
AND TO MY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS, MATTHEW LAVENDER, SERGIU CODREANU, BOGDAN KANIVETS, AND ROSEY!
