What’s it like living without believing in free will?: a talk with physicist Daniel Whiteson

For complete podcast episode details, see https://behavior-podcast.com/whats-it-like-living-without-a-belief-in-free-will-with-physicist-daniel-whiteson. This is a talk with Daniel Whiteson, a professor of physics and astronomy, about free will. Daniel is also the co-author of “We Have No Idea,” about the many unknowns remaining in physics, and the co-host of the podcast Daniel and Jorge Explain The Universe.

Our talk focuses on something I think isn’t often discussed: what are the effects on one’s life from not believing in free will. How does that change one’s life? What’s one’s experience of life like? Is it dramatically different from the life of someone who believes in free will? Other topics discussed: Our thoughts on why we think free will is unlikely to exist; psychological and emotional aspects of living without a belief in free will; the anxiety and even anger that some people can have about the idea that we lack free will; the idea that a lack of belief in free will can be part of a spiritual, positive way of experiencing the world; and more.