An Experiment That Disproves Free Will?

Neuroscientist Benjamin Libet conducted experiments in the 1980s which suggest that our behaviors are determined by our brain and only later interpreted by our mind.

by

April 13, 2011

Neuroscientist Benjamin Libet conducted experiments in the 1980s which suggest that our behaviors are determined by our brain and only later interpreted by our mind.

Neuroscientist Benjamin Libet conducted experiments in the 1980s which suggest that our behaviors are determined by our brain and only later interpreted by our mind.

Alfred Mele

Professor of Philosophy, Florida State University

Special Issue

Leadership masterclass: Nike, Jordan, and James Baldwin

George Raveling — the iconic leader who brought Michael Jordan to Nike — shares with Big Think a lifetime of priceless wisdom learned at the crossroads of sports and business.

14 articles

Man in glasses and a brown jacket with a serious expression; the background features a blue overlay adorned with white sports strategy symbols and a cheering crowd. It's reminiscent of a Coach Raveling masterclass, where every move is meticulously planned.

Related Content

Starts With A Bang

Why aliens might not “speak physics” the same way we do

Physicist Daniel Whiteson challenges the notion that all intelligent species would eventually uncover the same laws of nature. Do you agree?

by Ethan Siegel

ufo lights liverpool

The Learning Curve

Every era believes it is enlightened. Old books teach us otherwise.

Reading classic books can teach you as much about the present as the past.

by Kevin Dickinson

A woman in a white dress sits on a chair by a window, reading a book in a softly lit room with a piano nearby, embodying the quiet charm of why read old books.

Starts With A Bang

Ask Ethan: Why couldn’t the Universe have expanded forever?

For 13.8 billion years, the Universe has been expanding. But that couldn't have been the case for an eternity, and science has proven it.

by Ethan Siegel

big bang

Why your best ideas come after your worst

It's no wonder great writers swear by messy first drafts.

by Rachel Barr

A pencil sketch of a clown with raised arms, wearing a pointed hat and a polka-dot costume, on a blue and off-white background.

Learn from the world's biggest thinkers.

© Copyright 2007-2026 & BIG THINK, BIG THINK PLUS, SMARTER FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink Media, Inc. All rights reserved.