The False Belief in Free Will

The case against libertarian (i.e., radical) free will could have been closed in 1654 when Thomas Hobbes refuted the loosely-woven and theology-infused claims made by Bishop Bramhall. Many distinguished philosophers and scientists have followed Hobbes, while a few traditionalists and most laypeople hang on to their belief in free will. In this chapter, we present the case against free will yet again, hoping to add some fresh ideas and psychological contents to familiar arguments. We then consider contemporary measurement issues and entertain some what-if questions. We conclude that any fear of unfree will is misplaced. If people realized that, in fact, the doctrine of free will is more fearsome than the doctrine of determinism, some minds might be swayed. We remain guardedly pessimistic in this regard.