Trey Dougher

Research Paper
Ms. Hull
10/19/14

Does free will truly exist? What is the true definition of free will?
Source 1
Coyne, Jerry A. Why You Don't Really Have Free Will USATODAY. USA Today, 1 Jan. 2012. Web.
1 Jan. 2012

Summarize:
Jerry A. Coynes offers a very specific outlook on how free will doesnt actually exist. He takes a very
scientifically approach to persuade his audience to believe this. He focuses on what we as people, and
what our brains are made out of, and how according to the laws of physics our brain is not provided
nor capable to make a choice and decide one thing or another. But actually, is compelled to choose
the indicated decision, leaving the other option on the side as if it never existed.

He analyzes just how our brains are programmed from our genes, environment and experiences.
That throughout our lives our brain molecules and the brain stem is formed, which creates a type of
memory. Which affects us tremendously in the moment of a decision? According to the law of
physics, this decision has already been decided for us due to the brain stem that has already been
formed due to past experiences. He also states that if anyone thinks differently it is only because they
are not going along with the true definition of free will. For example, he quotes Many scientists and
philosophers now accept that our actions and thoughts are indeed determined by
physical laws, and in that sense we don't really choose freely, but philosophers have

concocted ingenious rationalizations for why we nevertheless have free will of a sort. It's
all based on redefining "free will" to mean something else. (Coyne par. 12)
He believes that throughout our lives we are blinded by an illusion that evolution
connects our thoughts which ties our decisions into an unconscious decision. He
realizes that we as humans try to rationalize the fact that we do have free will as we at
times in our lives think we make a certain decision to change something or take a
certain route in life. He responds to this by once again saying that the only reason we
would make such a decision in life or take a certain career route or route with our
friends or family is only because of what has previously happened and was inevitable
once the previous experiences occurred.
Asses:
This will be a very helpful source because it gives a deeper more scientific opinion to
the topic. It helped me understand a different outlook on a lot deeper level. So I will use
it in the section to argue that free will does not exist. It is biased opinion so it is not a
reliable source. Coyne has a published book on evolution and he is a professor at the
University of Chicago in the Department of Evolution. This profession and continued
studies has led him to be very opinionated on the fact that life is governed by
determinism and not free will. That is one of the main reasons why he tries to convince
his audience that there is no way that free will exists, but that it all has to do with laws of
physics.

Reflect:
I will be able to use this source to support the side of the argument that free will does
not exist. It will be a reliable source that brings a more scientific side to the argument
instead of just logical.

Source 2
McLeod, S. A. Freewill And Determinism In Psychology Simply Psychology Simply
Psychology 3 Mar. 2013. Web. 3 Mar. 2013

Summarize:
McLeods article weighs out and compares two concepts. The first being determinism and
the second being free will and how they are so different yet often confused. He believes that
due to determinism we can always know what our future decisions will be if we analyze
what our past environmental history has been. The second concept is on free will and how
not all behavior is predetermined but that we have the ability to look at a situation analyze it
and use our own free will to bring upon ourselves the consequences whether they are
positive or negative.
The first half of the article is focused on determinism and how it plays such a monumental
role is the chain of events that occurs in our lives on a day to day basis. He speaks on the
behavior patterns of an individual and how those certain events link to future events which
then continue on linking one thing to the next. He states that every single outcome came
from that first monumental occurrence which transformed itself over time into an inevitable

pattern. Concepts like free will and motivation are dismissed as illusions that disguise
the real causes of human behavior. (B.F Skinner par. 6)

He speaks on how we confuse ourselves thinking that we have the ability and option to
make our decisions on a day to day basis, due to the fact that we are ignorant on many
different levels on how much the past environment has affected that decision in the
moment. That all along it was based on developed brain stem. Because we fail to recognize
the past, we falsely believe that we have free will in the present.

In the second half of the article McLeod discusses a very brief overview of free will and the
importance of it in our lives. He speaks on how much of a need we as humans have to
possess and be capable of free will to be able to become fully functional humans and
motivate ourselves in order to determine our own destiny (McLeod, par. 17). In order for that
to happen he states that there must be a line drawn between the natural science and laws
of physics.
We as humans in order to achieve what we desire in life the ability to learn from mistakes,
taking out the positive and negative results from any given experience, work out and
organize a game plan for our lives is absolutely fundamental in order to make the correct
choices in any given instance along the road. For those who choose not to take these
important steps they make themselves prone to controlled by their surrounding
circumstances, other people and feelings.
Asses:
The source was helpful for me to see the topic a little bit more logically. A lot of people are
logical thinkers and like to believe and do what seems to make sense to them. So I will use
it to speak to that type of audience about how we are ignorant on a lot of things and make

decisions not knowing exactly what we are getting ourselves into but we do it based on
what we see as logical in that moment. McLeod doesnt have a ton of credentials being just
a psychology researcher at a medical institute. I believe the main goal of the article was to
provide information on both sides to the reader to become more educated on the matter and
be able to process it and decide for themselves. I believe this because the article was very
neutral on if free will truly exists or not.
Reflect:
This source was good to be able to have a source that supports both sides. I will be able to
argue both sides with two different concepts with this article. However, I feel like it didnt
provide a lot of information on both sides and provided just basic knowledge to the topic. I
feel like I might need to find a new source that provides the same things but in more detail.

Harris, Sam. Have It Your Way New York Times. Menaker, Daniel, 13 Jul. 2012 Web.
13 Jul. 2012
Summarize:
This article speaks on Sam Harris opinion and finds in research on Free Will. It talks
about how finds have discovered that our brain makes decisions before our brain is
actually able to process the logic and consequences of such decision. That we are subject
to determinism in our lives. That everything is laid out before us and there are very few
things if anything we can do to change it. He analyzes what our lives and culture would
be like if society dropped and got rid of personal responsibility due to the fact that our
futures and destinies are already decided. He explains a very interesting topic about how
our brain and us would be able to possess free will if we were free from any outer or
inner compulsions (Menaker, par. 7) He also answers concerns and questions that
people have presented in certain arguments on the topic. Such as, What after the
dismantling of free will is consciousness? Couldnt it need be that we need the

experience of perceived control? He answers questions like this to be able to support

his opinion on the matter and by doing so, talks about how the answer could go either
way but convinces his audience due to studies, that his hypothesis is correct.
Asses:
This article will be very helpful to me for my paper because it also covers both opinions
on the topic. It discusses how he thinks it really is, and then speaks on how other people
might think it is, how they are wrong and shows them just exactly how they are wrong. I
will use it as I argue the importance of free will and personal responsibility and the
effects it would have it didnt exist according to society. I will analyze how society would
change and our personal motivation and choices. Although Sam Harris is a very
qualified analyst, the article by Menaker is not very credible due to the fact that he is
summarizing a very opinionated book. The main goal of the book is to convince the
audience that free will does not exist due to determinism and help the audience take a
step outside the box a little bit and see how life might be if we actually understood that
to its fullest and got rid of certain social acts by recognizing that.
Reflect:
The article will be useful in writing my paper. However, it does not provide a whole lot
of facts that are backed up by sources. It seems like the majority of the article is
opinionated and is opinionated due to some studies and certain scientists viewpoints.
But it does provide certain outlooks that would help a reader understand a little bit
more about how the brain works and how that influences our decisions.