The concept of free will—the belief that we are the conscious authors of our actions—has been a cornerstone of human identity for centuries. It influences how we think about morality, responsibility, and even the justice system. But in recent decades, science has begun to challenge this deeply held belief. Is free will a genuine phenomenon, or merely an illusion produced by our brains to make sense of our behavior?
The Libet Experiment: A Groundbreaking Challenge
One of the most influential experiments questioning the existence of free will was conducted by American neuroscientist Benjamin Libet. In his now-famous study, he asked participants to flex their wrists whenever they wished, while their monitored their brain activity using EEG. Surprisingly, Libet discovered that the brain showed signs of preparing to move before the participants reported making a conscious decision to act. In other words, the brain had already started the process before the conscious mind had “decided.”
This sparked a profound question: If the brain begins to act before we become aware of our decision, are we truly in control of our choices? Or free will is just an illusion?
Consciousness: A Passive Narrator?
One interpretation of Libet’s findings is that consciousness may not be the decision-maker, but rather a narrator—a storyteller who rationalizes actions that have already been set into motion. This would mean that our sense of free will is a kind of after-the-fact illusion, a story we tell ourselves to make sense of behavior initiated subconsciously.
This idea is popular in many spiritual traditions as well as in psychology. Mindfulness meditation, for instance, encourages individuals to observe thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations as they arise, without judgment. In doing so, practitioners often report a startling realization: much of what we do seems to happen on its own. Breathing continues without instruction, thoughts come and go without command, and the body moves before the mind even forms an intention.
AI and Decision Making: A Curious Comparison
Consider a modern artificial intelligence like ChatGPT. If you ask it to “choose any color,” it will provide an answer based on patterns, training data, and statistical reasoning. It doesn’t need to possess consciousness. Despite its lack of awareness, it appears to make decisions.
If a machine can exhibit intelligent behavior without any subjective experience, what does that imply about our own mental processes? Perhaps consciousness is not necessary for intelligent decision-making. And much of what we attribute to “free will” might simply be complex pattern recognition and response. It is just like a machine.
The Role of Determinism
If we zoom out to a broader perspective, the argument gets even more compelling. In a deterministic universe, every event is caused by prior events and the laws of nature. This includes the workings of the human brain. Your decisions, preferences, and even your desires are shaped by your genetics, environment, upbringing, and previous experiences.
So when you decide to go to the store, it might feel like a choice. But that decision was likely influenced by factors such as hunger, necessity, or timing. These were all set in motion before the moment of “choice.” Similarly, a child left home alone might “choose” to order a burger, but that craving itself is a product of brain chemistry, environmental cues, and prior experiences. The illusion of free will persists, but the reality might be that it was inevitable.
The Subconscious Mind: The Real Puppeteer?
Much of what we think and do originates in the subconscious. Random memories, intrusive thoughts, sudden cravings, and moments of creativity often arise without any conscious intention. You might suddenly recall an embarrassing moment from years ago or get a brilliant idea while in the shower. These moments appear involuntarily.
Our subconscious is continuously processing information, predicting future outcomes, responding to stimuli, and guiding our actions. Studies show that the majority of the brain’s activity is:
- Predictive (anticipating what will happen next),
- Reactive (responding rapidly to external stimuli), and
- Habitual (executing learned behaviors).
Your conscious mind might believe it’s in control, but in truth, it’s often just observing the outcomes of subconscious processing.
Can Free Will Coexist With Brain Chemistry?
Let’s take a simple example: eating pizza. You might say you “chose” to eat it, but did you choose to be hungry? Did you choose to like pizza? If you’re stressed, anxious, or emotionally drained, you might crave comfort food. But these feelings arise independently of your conscious will. So when you finally decide, “I’m going to eat pizza,” it’s not a purely free decision—it’s a result of an internal chain of causes and effects.
Even in complex situations—such as choosing a career path against your parents’ wishes—your so-called independent decision might be the culmination of subtle influences: movies you watched, role models you admired, or emotional experiences from your youth.
So, is free will just the experience of being aware after your brain makes a decision?
Free Will, Morality, and Society
One of the most sensitive implications of this discussion involves moral responsibility. If a criminal’s actions are the result of genetics, environment, and subconscious impulses beyond their control, can we truly hold them accountable?
This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t prevent harm or enforce laws. But it does suggest that changing the environment—by improving education, reducing poverty, or providing mental health care—might be more effective than harsh punishments. If different brains process the same information in different ways, and experience shapes these differences, then society has a crucial role in shaping future behavior.
The Shocking Realization
The more you observe your own thoughts and actions, the more you begin to notice just how much of it is autopilot. Your hand moves before you consciously command it. You’re already typing before you’ve decided what to say. Facial expressions shift, posture adjusts, and even emotions flare up before you become consciously aware of them.
It’s almost eerie:
“I’m not doing this… it’s just happening, and I’m watching it.”
This realization can be unsettling—but also deeply humbling. It reveals how much of who we are is shaped by processes we don’t control.
Conclusion: A New Perspective on the Self
So, does free will exist?
From the standpoint of neuroscience, psychology, and even physics, it seems that what we call “free will” may be largely an illusion. Our brains act first, and consciousness catches up later, like a sportscaster trying to explain the play after it has already happened.
Yet, this doesn’t render life meaningless. If anything, it encourages compassion. Understanding that people act based on internal and external conditions might help us judge less and empathize more. Perhaps the goal isn’t to control every action, but to become more aware of the forces shaping us—and to make peace with the beautifully complex machinery of the human mind.
Sources:
https://www.informationphilosopher.com/freedom/libet_experiments.html