Just Going Through the Motions? Exploring the Science of Living Without Free Will in Robert Sapolsky’s Determined

by Omer A. Syed

Graphic design by Josip Petrusa

What if I said that your reading of this article, possessing this edition of the IMS Magazine, and even knowing of the Institute of Medical Science or the University of Toronto to begin with, was naught of your free will or conscious choice–but predetermined? Often people feel that their entire lives have led up to a specific singular moment. Robert Sapolsky, a Stanford University Professor of Biology, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, in his book Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will, ¹ provides a compelling case for how this is indeed always the case for every moment in one’s life.

Discussions on the existence of free will, or the lack thereof, have been occurring across millennia, spanning the fields of theology, law, physics, and now, as discussed in Determined, psychology and neuroscience. In just over 400 pages, Sapolsky provides a clear account for the scientific backing of a world without free will.

To effectively present his case, he highlights how all our seemingly conscious decisions are influenced and dictated by internal and external factors which are out of our control. For instance, the spontaneous motor movements we mistakenly attribute to conscious intentions are, in actuality, caused by the activation of specific brain regions milliseconds prior to our perception of these actions. The variation in our day-to-day mood which affects our behavior and judgements is influenced by environmental stimuli and their impact on our hormone levels. Even our personality and attitudes in adulthood are shaped by our early adolescent and childhood experiences, mother’s prenatal behavior, and parental gene pool. In this book, Sapolsky provocatively asserts that our lives are determined by the hand we were dealt before even being born.

“[E]ssentially every aspect of your childhood—good, bad, or in between—factors over which you had no control, sculpted the adult brain you have.” (pg. 67)

Leading a life wholly determined by factors outside of our control is a sobering thought that may justifiably elicit feelings of existential dread. However, a meaningful silver lining appears if we were to recalibrate our perspective and consider how the behaviors of those around us are not governed by their reasoned choice or free will either. Having served on several court cases as an expert witness, Sapolsky describes how the wrongdoings of individuals, from trivial, minor offenses to morally reprehensible acts, are entirely influenced by biological and environmental factors outside of the offenders’ control. Similar to how the growth of a brain tumor could cause someone to commit heinous crimes, so could traumatic childhood experiences that shift a person’s brain chemistry towards deviant and unconventional behavior. Nevertheless, while the former’s case may typically be viewed sympathetically, the latter’s circumstances are likely discounted, and the person is deemed guilty. To that end, while surrendering the belief in our own free will might be uncomfortable, it can lead to a less judgemental and more empathetic world–one where we consider a person by the hand they were dealt, not solely by the cards they play.

Sapolsky convincingly advances the case for determinism, but certain implications could have been elaborated on further. For example, although morality is mentioned several times throughout the book, his discussion in the area left much to be desired. Specifically, the notion of excusing moral wrongdoings in light of the absence of free will is to imply there exists moral rights and wrongs to begin with. A world without reasoned choice or free will, however, seems incompatible with the existence of morality, at least in any objective sense. Nevertheless, Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will is a great example of effective science communication, breaking down a complex area of discussion in a manner that can be entertaining for academics and lay people alike. For these reasons, albeit slightly unsettling, it has been one of my most recommended books since its publication in 2023.

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