BRAIN, MIND AND FREEDOM Peter Henke Abstract:Libertarians’ accounts of free-will, either in terms of philosophical dualisms or quantum indeterminacy, are largely incoherent. Their central claim that the conscious experience of freedom of choice is, in fact, evidence that this is actually the way things are, is not supported by brain research. Determinism seems to work quite well in the macro-physical world of sticks and stones, but needs modifications to account for conscious, intentional causation in decision making. It is proposed that the conscious experience of freedom is an emergent feature of complex brains, and it is seen from a first-person perspective (ontology). Brain states, which in “bottom-up” fashion cause conscious states, are seen from a third-person perspective (ontology). Consciousness names a state the brain is in, sometimes. The sense of freedom we experience is constructed by our brains because it is adaptive. It evolved to monitor aspects of the propitiousness of our environment. It tracks the control and the flexibility we experience in our lives, conditions which conferred a selective advantage in our evolution.

Based on Dean’s Scholars Lecture, St. Francis Xavier University, March 2005.

Brain, Mind and Freedom

A. Libertarianism and Determinism Compatibalism (“soft” determinism) Evidence B. A Just-So Story – Naturalizing Freedom Biopsychology of Intentional Action Evidence

Libertarians’ (free-will) indeterminism:

The experience of freedom of choice is, in fact, evidence that this is actually the way things are.

Major explanatory versions:Dualisms: doctrine of separate substances/properties “Homunculus” fallacyQuantum mechanics: sub-atomic indeterminacy - random freedom - amplification problem - brain evolution in macro- physical world

Determinism vs. causality

Thesis:

Choices we make are necessitated bypreceding causes.

A. Brain constructions: a. Color vision b. Split-brain: corpus callosum (Gazzaniga) Stalinist free-will c. Readiness potential (Libet) Plagiarizing free-will

B. Brain disorders: a. Schizophrenia – neurotransmitter dopamine b. Addictions, compulsions – dopamine

C. Dopamine: motivation, incentives

D. Learning, cognitive flexibility and responsibility

The experience of free-will is,in fact, evidence that this is the way things are ?

A. Brain constructions: a. Color vision b. Split-brain: corpus callosum (Gazzaniga) Stalinist free-will c. Readiness potential (Libet) Plagiarizing free-will

B. Brain disorders: a. Schizophrenia – neurotransmitter dopamine b. Addictions, compulsions – dopamine

C. Dopamine: motivation, incentives

D. Learning, cognitive flexibility and responsibility

A Just-So Story – Naturalizing Freedom

• Readiness potentials (Libet):

- conscious intention cancels arm movement• Electrical stimulation of motor cortex (Penfield):

- something happens to me vs. I am making it

happening

Causation in Psychology and Physics:

a. The house collapsed because of the earthquake.

b. I voted for candidate X because she will bring honesty to government.

Searle: Intentional causation in psychology; reasons based on goals, beliefs, purposes, etc.

Overdeterminism Issue:

Psychological reason + brain process

Options:a. Dualisms Problem: How non-physical mental states

cause physical brain statesb. Materialism or physicalism Problems: Eliminating psychological states Epiphenomenon

Conscious states (motives, beliefs, goals, etc.)are emergent, phenomenological features of brains.

Analogy: Water = H2O - phenomenological vs. molecular features

Conscious state: first-person perspective (ontology)Brain state: third-person perspective (ontology)

Searle: causal reduction vs. ontological reduction; reductive materialism requires ontological reductions.

EvidencePenfield’s data: distinction between “what I make

happen” and “what happens to me”

Parietal cortex: representation of our own intentional states

Temporal cortex: representation of what others do

Frontal cortex: convergence zone

mirror neuron circuits

theory of mind

Feeling of freedom we experience:

1-Selective, evolutionary advantage

2-Monitoring the propitiousness of life conditions

3-What I can make happen versus what happens to me

4-Control of circumstances by making choices versus being controlled by circumstances

5-Constructed by our brains because it is adaptive

(Psychology: locus of control, self-efficacy, etc.)