Philosopher, author to address concept of free will

The concept of free will has long fueled a debate among philosophers, psychologists and theologians. A popular argument among neuroscientists and social psychologists that free will is not real, and that words and actions stem from unconscious predispositions and social conditioning. 

But Alfred Mele, the Werkmeister Professor of Philosophy at Florida State University, claims that the popular case against free will actually leaves much room for doubt. Mele is a renowned philosopher noted for his leadership of the “Big Questions in Free Will” project, a four-year, $4.4 million study undertaken at Florida State University with support from the John Templeton Foundation.  

Alfred Mele presents Free: Why Science Hasn’t Disproved Free Will

Thursday, January 22, 7 p.m.

Loosemore Auditorium, Grand Valley State University

401 W. Fulton St. 

Event is free and open to the public

RSVPs requested here

Hosted by the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies as part of the 2015 American Conversations Series, Mele will examine major experiments that free will deniers cite, and explain how they don’t provide solid evidence. Mele will argue that conscious decisions play an important role in everyday life, especially in our political and moral decision-making, and further, that lack of belief in free will tends to promote poor behavior and bad decision-making. 

“We at the Hauenstein Center are pleased to host Dr. Alfred Mele,” said Joe Hogan, program manager at the Hauenstein Center. “His groundbreaking work at the intersection of philosophy and neuroscience challenges the common argument that free will is illusory. Mele adroitly applies philosophical questions about free will to contemporary debates about political decision-making, and reveals the deep importance of each.”

This Hauenstein Center event is supported by the GVSU Department of Philosophy.

For more information and to RSVP to this event, visit hauensteincenter.org.