There Is No Free Will, But We Are Free | Brian Greene And Lex Fridman

Unveiling the Truth

Where does freedom come from if we don't have any kind of physics-based free will? This question has puzzled philosophers, scientists, and thinkers for centuries. But let's dive into this enigma and explore the fascinating world of determinism.

Imagine a universe governed solely by physical laws. Everything, from the tiniest particle to the grandest celestial body, follows these laws without exception. Now, consider a human being—a complex collection of particles subject to these very same laws. Every thought, every action is nothing more than the motion of particles cascading through our neural pathways.

In this framework, there seems to be no room for free will to break free from the constraints of physical law. The traditional notion of free will, where we are the ultimate authors of our actions, crumbles under the weight of scientific understanding. There is no antecedent cause for our decisions; they are simply the result of particles in motion.

The True Essence of Freedom

But hold on! Before we abandon all hope of freedom, let's explore another kind—the true version—of freedom that we feel deep within our souls. To understand this concept, we must shift our focus to inanimate objects in the world.

Rocks, bottles of water—these objects have a limited behavioral repertoire. Their internal organization is too coarse for them to exhibit complex behaviors or respond meaningfully to stimuli. Try having a conversation with a glass of water; it won't do much beyond a slight vibration.

Now, compare this limited repertoire to our own inner organization. Through eons of evolution by natural selection, our internal structure has become refined and spectacularly ordered. We possess a vast repertoire of behaviors finely attuned to stimuli from the external world.

When you ask me a question, it becomes a stimulus that sets off a chain reaction within me. These particle processes come to life, and the result is the answer I'm giving you right now. Our freedom does not stem from defying physical law; it arises from transcending the constrained behavior of inanimate objects.

The Marvel of Human Complexity

We are liberated from the shackles of a limited behavioral repertoire that governs rocks and bottles of water. Instead, we possess an intricate and diverse range of responses. Do we consciously choose these responses? No. But we have them, and that's where our true freedom lies.

The complexity and breadth of our