Free Will and the Clockwork Universe: Libet's Findings and Determinism

Benjamin Libet's 1980s experiments found a brain 'readiness potential' that began about 0.2 seconds before participants reported the conscious intention to move, and the article contrasts this finding with Laplace's articulation of causal determinism in physics.

Benjamin Libet's 1980s experiments are introduced as a striking starting point for a series on the physics of free will. In those studies, volunteers were asked to flick their wrist at a time of their choosing while watching a clock and reporting when they first felt the conscious urge. Measurements showed a buildup of brain activity called the readiness potential that began before subjects reported awareness of their decision. The author, a cosmologist, notes he is not a neurologist or philosopher and frames the piece as an exploration of what physics can contribute to the question. Key points: - Benjamin Libet's experiments measured a 'readiness potential' that began about 0.2 seconds before participants reported the conscious intention to move. - Subjects watched a clock and reported the time they first noticed the urge to act; the neural buildup preceded that reported moment. - There is no settled interpretation: possibilities include free will being an illusion, the readiness potential reflecting preparation rather than commitment, or more complex accounts. - Physics has a long tradition of causal determinism, summarized historically by Laplace's idea that complete knowledge of positions and forces would determine the future. - An anecdote notes that when Napoleon asked Laplace why he did not mention a Creator, Laplace replied, "I had no need of that hypothesis," illustrating the deterministic framing. Summary: The article presents neuroscience findings alongside the historical physics view of causal determinism to show that the question of free will remains unresolved. Undetermined at this time.