Michael Esfeld Book order

The book presents a compelling argument that scientific determinism does not compromise human free will, asserting that science is descriptive rather than prescriptive. It emphasizes that the formulation and validation of scientific theories inherently rely on the existence of free will and human agency. Drawing from Humean and Kantian philosophies, it defends scientific realism while clarifying that scientific theories cannot dictate moral or normative behavior at individual or societal levels, thus distinguishing between objective facts and subjective interpretations.

The book presents a conservative ontological reductionism, asserting that all properties in the world are functional and causal. It explores the concept of functional reduction, developing it into a comprehensive theory through the identification of functional sub-types that align with physical types. The authors support their arguments with case studies from biology, illustrating how this framework can enhance our understanding of the relationship between functional properties and their physical counterparts.