The Freedom of the Will

Saturday 3 July 2010

British Academy, Carlton House Terrace, London SW1

Convenor: Professor Richard Swinburne FBA
Programme (42kb pdf)

There is wide interest in whether humans have free will in a sense which makes them morally responsible for their actions, not merely among philosophers and psychologists, but among those involved in formulating and operating the criminal law, theologians, and a wide general public. The last fifty years have seen the publication of an enormous philosophical literature on the relation of mind to body, and a considerable literature on moral responsibility, all relevant to this issue. More recently, there has also been a significant body of scientific work deriving from the pioneer studies by Benjamin Libet, on the extent to which intentions are caused and affect human behaviour. This accessible public symposium will bring together these strands of literature.

The symposium will consist of three seminars, each featuring two papers followed by a discussion. The first looks at recent neurophysiological work on whether intentions cause brain effects, the second asks if our actions are pre-determined and the third explores what kind of free will we would need in order to be morally responsible for our actions.

About the Speakers

Introduction: Peter Simons FBA, Professor of Philosophy, Trinity College Dublin.
First seminar: Patrick Haggard (Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College, London) and Tim Bayne (Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Oxford, and Fellow of St Catherine's College).
Second seminar: Frank Jackson (Professor of Philosophy, La Trobe University and Visiting Professor, Princeton University) and Richard Swinburne (Emeritus Professor of Philosophy of Religion, University of Oxford).
Third seminar: Galen Strawson (Professor of Philosophy, University of Reading) and Helen Steward (Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Leeds).

Conference

If you wish to attend please complete the registration form