Free Agents

More about the book

An evolutionary case for the existence of free will is presented through a wealth of evidence that challenges the notion that agency is merely an illusion. As scientists delve into how brain activity influences behavior, many conclude that we are simply machines responding to physical forces. However, leading neuroscientist Kevin Mitchell argues otherwise, illustrating that we are purposeful agents. He traces the remarkable evolution of living beings capable of choice from lifeless matter over billions of years. The emergence of nervous systems allowed sentient animals to learn about their environments, enabling them to model, predict, and simulate outcomes. This capacity peaked in humans, who possess the abilities to imagine, introspect, reason in real time, and shape our futures through individual agency. Mitchell's insights carry significant implications for our understanding of decision-making, the enhancement or infringement of individual agency, and collective agency in addressing global crises. Additionally, they prompt a reevaluation of the limitations and future of artificial intelligence. This exploration offers a new framework for understanding how life evolved the power to choose and underscores the importance of this capability.