The Gray Area with Sean Illing

The case against free will

Listen Later

Sean Illing speaks with Robert Sapolsky, a professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University and the author of a new book called Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will. They discuss the concept of free will, whether it actually exists in the way we think it does, and what it means for society if free will is indeed an illusion.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), host, The Gray Area

Guest: Robert Sapolsky, author, Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will

References: 

Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will by Robert M. Sapolsky (Penguin Random House, 2023)

Behave by Robert M. Sapolsky (Penguin Random House, 2018)

“Robert Sapolsky Doesn’t Believe in Free Will. (But Feel Free to Disagree.)” by Hope Reese (New York Times, October 2023)

Enjoyed this episode? Rate The Gray Area ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of The Gray Area by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.

Support The Gray Area by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

This episode was made by: 

  • Engineer: Rob Byers
  • Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: A.M. Hall

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store
    The Gray Area with Sean IllingBy Vox
    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5

    4.5

    10,606 ratings

    More shows like The Gray Area with Sean Illing

    View all
    Fresh Air by NPR

    Fresh Air

    38,430 Listeners

    The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

    The New Yorker Radio Hour

    6,881 Listeners

    On the Media by WNYC Studios

    On the Media

    9,238 Listeners

    The Political Scene | The New Yorker by The New Yorker

    The Political Scene | The New Yorker

    4,113 Listeners

    Explain It to Me by Vox

    Explain It to Me

    7,890 Listeners

    Switched on Pop by Vulture

    Switched on Pop

    2,676 Listeners

    Pivot by New York Magazine

    Pivot

    9,724 Listeners

    Gastropod by Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley

    Gastropod

    3,648 Listeners

    Decoder with Nilay Patel by The Verge

    Decoder with Nilay Patel

    3,141 Listeners

    The Daily by The New York Times

    The Daily

    113,121 Listeners

    Good One by Vulture

    Good One

    1,483 Listeners

    Radio Atlantic by The Atlantic

    Radio Atlantic

    2,380 Listeners

    Today, Explained by Vox

    Today, Explained

    10,331 Listeners

    Interesting Times with Ross Douthat by New York Times Opinion

    Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

    7,244 Listeners

    Throughline by NPR

    Throughline

    16,512 Listeners

    Land of the Giants by Vulture

    Land of the Giants

    2,163 Listeners

    Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast by MKBHD

    Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast

    43 Listeners

    Unlocking Us with Brené Brown by Vox Media Podcast Network

    Unlocking Us with Brené Brown

    23,563 Listeners

    A Touch More with Sue Bird & Megan Rapinoe by Vox Media Podcast Network

    A Touch More with Sue Bird & Megan Rapinoe

    738 Listeners

    Hard Fork by The New York Times

    Hard Fork

    5,576 Listeners

    Good Noticings by Vox Media Podcast Network

    Good Noticings

    6,488 Listeners

    The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

    The Ezra Klein Show

    16,525 Listeners

    Unexplainable by Vox

    Unexplainable

    2,303 Listeners

    Cover Story by New York Magazine

    Cover Story

    1,217 Listeners

    The Interview by The New York Times

    The Interview

    1,600 Listeners

    Not Just Football with Cam Heyward by Cam Heyward

    Not Just Football with Cam Heyward

    151 Listeners

    Networth and Chill with Your Rich BFF by Vivian Tu

    Networth and Chill with Your Rich BFF

    1,788 Listeners

    Prof G Markets by Vox Media Podcast Network

    Prof G Markets

    1,480 Listeners

    The Opinions by The New York Times Opinion

    The Opinions

    632 Listeners

    Bird's Eye View with Sue Bird by Sue Bird

    Bird's Eye View with Sue Bird

    427 Listeners

    Solutions with Henry Blodget by Vox Media Podcast Network

    Solutions with Henry Blodget

    36 Listeners