Mind Matters Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

TagDaniel Witt

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A red-eared slider rests on a leafy green surface with another red-eared slider on its back.

An Infinite Past Universe Rules Out Free Will. But Here’s a Catch

Such a universe is not logically possible, says Daniel Witt. That’s the “turtles all the way down” problem
“Turtles all the way down” — infinite regress — doesn’t solve the problem that everything, as a whole, is ultimately floating on something beyond itself. Read More ›
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Realistic figure standing at a fork in the road, surrounded by an incredible amount of detail, representing the concept of free will in a realistic setting

A Materialist Neuroscientist Makes a Case for Free Will, Cont’d

When Mitchell tries to construct a naturalistic model of will, he is drifting away from the common experience of will that motivated the whole discussion
Despite its limitations, I would recommend Mitchell’s book as a “gateway” drug for anyone who is stuck in a reductionist-materialist paradigm. Read More ›
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living room interior view and open door, Generated AI

A Materialist Neuroscientist Makes a Case for Free Will

Kevin Mitchell makes a good case though his book is not equally persuasive on every point
Mitchell points out that “there is nothing in the laws of physics that rules out the possibility of agency or free will, a priori.” Read More ›