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Free Will
- Narrated by: Sam Harris
- Length: 1 hr and 14 mins
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Publisher's Summary
A belief in free will touches nearly everything that human beings value. It is difficult to think about law, politics, religion, public policy, intimate relationships, morality—as well as feelings of remorse or personal achievement—without first imagining that every person is the true source of his or her thoughts and actions. And yet the facts tell us that free will is an illusion.
In this enlightening book, Sam Harris argues that this truth about the human mind does not undermine morality or diminish the importance of social and political freedom, but it can and should change the way we think about some of the most important questions in life.
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- janelle Knox
- 09-10-19
Harris is not a good philosopher.
For anyone who has merely dug past the surface of layman philosophy, this book is a huge contradiction of terms, ideas and definitions. Harris needs to freshen up on his knowledge (pun intended) of epistemology.
Your thoughts are all part of the naturalistic system of cause and effect, yet they somehow just materialize? Sorry Harris, you really missed the mark on this one. Frankly, this book sounded like an attempt to persuade hungry minds, searching for answers, towards a fatalistic reality - even though he tries to convince you that he’s not fatalistic, nor is his idea fatalistic. If you were looking for some compelling science, you won’t find it here. He spends only a fleeting moment talking about how he got to his conclusions through science, then the rest of the book trying to ‘explain’ what it all means through very unclear terms. If you already agree with Harris on other topics, you’ll probably love this book. If you’re in anyway knowledgeable on philosophy, give this book a hard pass and spend your 1hr reading.... anything else really.
14 people found this helpful
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- Margaret
- 05-01-12
Fascinating debate!
What made the experience of listening to Free Will the most enjoyable?
Sam Harris presents both sides well and then argues his thesis. Refreshingly frank. Felt like I was eavesdropping on a lively debate.
18 people found this helpful
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- Ellen
- 04-23-12
LIFE/ WORLD Altering sophisticated thinking!
Where does Free Will rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
This is one of the top 3 audiobooks I have listened to so far (and I have LOTS of audiobooks). I will listent to it many times----and hopefully some guests in my car will also have the privilege to be titillated by his thoughts.
What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?
Sam Harris is amazing! I love the subjects he choses to grapple with. I love the conclusions he draws. I love the potential impact on the way the world perceives punishment/guilt/free will. I love the fact that Sam is a neuroscientist --- clearly his opinions are based on lots of scientific knowledge--not just a philosophy.
What does Sam Harris bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
I am a big fan of audiobooks. I have ADHD and the audiobook enables me to "read" books I would not otherwise be able to sit still and really comprehend fully. I have become accustomed to listening to audiobooks in my car and when the author reads the book to me--it is magical---of course he wrote it--so only he can put the passion in his words---it makes a HUGE difference---I do have other audiobooks read by someone else other then the author---it's such a privilege to hear him speak his ideas---not to mention he has a very calm clear voice.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I DID have an extreme reaction to this book. It did make me cry----because the information he is giving to us in this book --if understood by the masses has the power to completely change the world---my tears were tears of joy---
And his idea is not just some romantic idea about the way our brain works--it's based on facts--scientific facts---
I don't care about the book with regards to how it "handles" the idea of free-will in religion, but I will admit that I am an atheist and have been interested in Sam's writings from the first book because of that, but I will say that the fact that we do not have free will sets the stage for a complete shift in the way we preceive the world---a HUGE SHIFT---
Maybe like one of those plateaus in evolution that really jumps a species to the next level---is it possible to jump to another level in evolution just by having a thought? I think maybe so!
27 people found this helpful
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- wes dodge
- 06-24-20
I would like to like this book but I can't.
I would like to like this book but I can't. My decision not to like this book was pre determined even before I listened to it. I'm very disappointed that for the rest of my life I will have no choice in what ultimately will happen to me and what I will do. You will either choose to listen to this book or not, completely irrelevant to the input I give you in this review. This review was predetermined long before I wrote it, or you read it.
4 people found this helpful
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- DS
- 03-12-13
CLASSIC SAM HARRIS
Sam Harris can write anything and I'll enjoy it. Sometimes I'll heartily agree, sometimes I'll wonder where I stand on an issue but I always have a good time listening.
8 people found this helpful
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- Jennifer
- 11-15-14
Wrong Question
Do we have free will or are we merely complex stimulus response devices. Can we know? Does it matter?
I believe that I have some control over the outcome of my life. I make choices and those choices have consequences. My choices are strongly influenced by my heredity, the conditions under which my brain developed, and the accumulated experiences of my life. Nonetheless, I believe that I exercise some measure of free will in my conscious decision making.
Sam Harris asserts that this is an illusion. His argument rests on the assumption of a material universe wholly governed by natural laws dictating the interactions of the matter in that universe. That assumption is unaltered by the existence of energy as an alternative form of matter or by the possibility of multiverses. He tells us that we live in a clock-work universe where future states arise from present states. The randomness of quantum mechanics may create some uncertainty about those future states, but it does not provide freedom of choice to the collection of atoms of which we consist. It is an interesting argument, but it is irrelevant.
Free will is not a thing; it is a construct. We generally think of free will as the ability to act without certain constraints. By treating free will as the ability to act without any constraints, Harris easily defines it away.
The problem with using science to make a philosophical argument is that there is much that science cannot yet tell us. Indeed, there may be much that science will never be able to tell us. What makes science useful is that it identifies the “laws” that predict the behavior of matter and energy. Those predictions help us to harness matter an energy to do useful things. We need to remember that those laws are not in and of themselves an objective reality; they are simply models that help us navigate the universe in which we live. In the same sense, free will is a behavioral model that helps us understand the extent to which we can reasonably hold another creature.
The important question is not whether or not we have free will, but rather how free our will really is. Read in that light, Harris makes some very important points. We sometimes forget how much of our lives are determined by factors out of our control. By extension, we forget how much of other people’s lives are determined by factors out of their control. Both nature and nurture conspire to mold us into what we are. Perhaps we could take a little less credit for how well things have turned out for us and assign a little less blame to those who have not managed as well.
Perhaps the inflammatory argument that our cherished free will is an illusion should be read an argument for compassion.
32 people found this helpful
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- Jesika
- 07-11-12
Excellent, interesting book.
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
I would recommend this book to everyone. Important information that can change the way you view your fellow humans and boost your compassion for everyone.
7 people found this helpful
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- Niall
- 04-02-12
It is a short book
What did you love best about Free Will?
Sam Harris is a favorite author so I will buy whatever he puts out- Knowing this Harris has decided to put out micro books that make tired old points that he can make slightly better than everyone else. This book is about free will- noting that the reasons we make decisions are biological, sociological and just plain logical. Religion really does not enter into the book but rather Harris reviews all the old favorite that come to mind when one talks of free will-- which takes about as long as an average newscast but costs the same as a real book. I recommend all of his work for major followers of the New Atheism moment but if you don't have regular talks of theology this may be brutally uninteresting for you. For those of us who go to special groups on atheism this is a useful tool to phrase old arguments a little more articulately
What does Sam Harris bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
I love listening to Sam Harris both in book and debate because of his calm style that reminds us that the very gruesome stories he sometimes tells to make his points are not there to disgust but to make a point better. It is difficult to not dramatize stories of such profound violence but Harris can speak of those matters calmly better than anyone else
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Unfortunately, yes
Any additional comments?
I recommend everyone get his other book The Moral Landscape-- That is where his magic really is
14 people found this helpful
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- James
- 03-12-12
Consciousness-Raising Insight for Self & The Rest
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
I definitely recommend Free Will not only because of my deep appreciation for Harris' thoughful and strongly argued dissections of this sort of subject, but because of the insight this work raised into my own behavior and that of others. The initial inclination to worry about the possibility of less implicit self-determinism is far outweighed by Harris' words opening channels of deeper understanding into why we are who we are and do what we do.
A short, but powerful, piece.
What other book might you compare Free Will to and why?
No comparable book comes to mind.
What does Sam Harris bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
I find it adds value to hear the book in the words of the author. It feels more authentic.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
For me, the overall input from the book was powerful with many moving arguments.
Any additional comments?
After finishing this book, I immediately emailed family and friends encouraging them to read it.
6 people found this helpful
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- Mark
- 04-13-12
Nothing you couldn't get from Sam's blog
Any additional comments?
I loved Sam Harris' "The Moral Landscape," and I read his blog and have enjoyed his posts on free will. The book didn't add anything to this very basic synopsis: Free will is an illusion, based on neuroscience, and we can do what we decide but we can't decide what we do. In short, regarding the idea that if you could go back in time, then you could choose differently — no you couldn't. Therefore any hate toward someone for, say, raping you is misplaced. They couldn't have done differently. If anything, you should feel compassion because how would you like to live inside the skin of someone who is a rapist and can't not be a rapist? (Sam is saying this, not me.) The book was fine, and Sam is always engaging but it lacked something special, to set it apart from a compilation of blog posts. I guess I would've wanted more real-world anecdotes and how a society could or should handle the consequences of these antisocial actions differently than it does now. The book didn't help me see how the lack of free will is meaningful in practice for my life or society as a whole. That said, the book is worthwhile if only because there's so little available on audio about this interesting subject. It's a solid brief introduction to determinism.
15 people found this helpful
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- Dom
- 04-22-15
mind blowing book
Really changes the way you think. Very strong argument. Recommended to anyone who is interested. Mind it is quite short so don't blow your monthly credit on it.
10 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 04-28-20
Headline
I can never decide wether to leave a review. 6 more words required to post
4 people found this helpful
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- Steve
- 03-19-15
Very interesting
A nice quick listen which is very well explained. Quite educational as I certainly know more about free will now.
3 people found this helpful
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- Julian Richardson
- 10-12-21
Important subject, a little repetitive
The main argument in the book is that what we think of as our free choices are actually determined by our precise make-up at the point we make them - they are not 'free' in the sense we generally consider them to be. The author emphasises this repeatedly, trying to head off various possible objections. I feel like there was not enough space devoted to discussing what free will is, if it's not what we think it is.
1 person found this helpful
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- W. Lindsay
- 10-31-18
Must read!
Ive been struggling with this concept for a while now and this has explained everything in detail and put my mind at ease on the subject. Great book!
1 person found this helpful
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- Ian
- 02-23-16
Heavy
Where does Free Will rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Top tier.
What did you like best about this story?
It's a readable and substantial case for the lack of free-will.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
I did. Bears repeating and demands full attention.
1 person found this helpful
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- Mr C Farmer
- 04-19-22
Free Will written by Sam Harris
This is a brilliant synopsis of the subject, but then I would say that wouldn’t I!
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- Kindle Customer
- 09-29-21
good and short
it a book that get to the point and have good story to explained the topic.
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- John upfield
- 09-16-21
Tried to free will by taking off the hand break and rolling down the hill
Listen to this book thrice and I was hopping that I would be wowed but I wasn’t. It’s good that it’s a short book so it’s not too much of a waste of time. I think Sam might have something here but I think he’s got some of the jigsaw peace’s missing and some hammered into the wrong place.
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- Lucy Pates
- 04-17-21
I didn't like from the very start
I feel that this book had no real depth to it, from the start I had to turn it off to prevent my children from hearing the content, when I tried to return the book it wouldn't allow me for some reason.
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- Angelina Russo
- 05-25-16
genuinely thought provoking
thoughtful and argued thoroughly, this is an interesting and perceptive piece of work. recommended .
3 people found this helpful
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- Malcolm
- 01-27-20
Inevitable
If you never read this book you were never going to. if you do you were always going to.
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- Amazon Customer
- 02-10-19
Didn't have a choice but to give it 5 stars.
This book will transform the way you think about your actions and those of others.
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- Anonymous User
- 11-25-17
Free will - an illusion
Fantastic information and great narration. I'd recommend this work series of Harris to anyone who is interested in civilization advancement. If we get these ethical and moral challenges into mainstream consciousness, it could bring forth a better world. A more unified, kinder world.
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- Anonymous User
- 07-17-17
Love Sam Harris 💛
I love that Sam Harris read his own book. His book echoed some of my own thoughts about free will, but gave me much further thought. Amazing book, amazing ideas and great narration 💕
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- liam
- 08-15-16
unintuitive but clear
difficult concept but well written and clear in its arguments. thoroughly enjoyed the listen and would reccomend to others interested in philosophy
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- Kevin
- 07-24-15
Thoroughly thought provoking
A 5 course intellectual, psychological, epistemological feast delivered in a simple, clear and concise manner and totally enjoyable
1 person found this helpful
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- E. Stamatakis
- 01-02-22
Interesting, you cannot sell this as a full book
This is a very interesting brief essay. Surprised that Sam Harris and/or Audible decided to sell it as a full book
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- Cristian P
- 10-12-20
I used to like Sam harris until I read this book
I used to think highly of Sam harris until I read his book on free will, upon introducing the premise of the book, Sam chooses to grab our attention as readers by describing a horrifically violent act performed by 2 men who murdered a suburban family by killing the father and raping the daughters and mother before murdering them by burning them all alive. This is the introduction Sam chose as the fitting one to then point out that free will is not something we possess.
His overarching argument is based on the idea that We do not have free will but the illusion of free will, that many external factors such as personal life experiences, genetics, and even environmental factors play a role in determining the choices we make that go beyond our own cognition. Sam proposes that these rapists and murderers have no say in the matter but are somewhat victims of their own life and genetics.
This short underwhelming book which I overpaid for offers no real insight beyond the "hey rapists and murders may not have a choice in their actions" and basically absolving people from their own ability to make rational decisions. He not only doesn't challenge his own view but finds ways to "Miyagi" his way around legitimate arguments that debunk his point. Using highly articulate words that ultimately hold basic meaning and rationale behind them. Like someone trying to sound smart when they talk about their cleftal horizon. This book feels like it came from that same horizon
Ultimately the book not only proposes that you have no power or control in your life but also you can't do anything about not having power or control in your life and that you're the victim of circumstances which you cannot overcome.
This logic to me feels broken and also unsatisfying because it is championing complacency at best and victimizing rapists and murderers at worse.
This all in fact ignores that we have evolved beyond our own impulses and that whilst we may have drivers that ultimately do weigh in on our decision making processes, the decision making itself is something that I think all of us have an agency on and even if we didn't, the tangible outcomes exist irrespective of the will behind it. He offers no real way to navigate through his half baked philosophy
Sam talks about the determinism in his book and how in essence everything feels like it is predetermined, this is coming from someone who doesn't believe in religion or intelligent design, yet believes that a plan is laid out before it is even come to fruition. That's the level of contradiction in his way of thinking. Rarely have I read a book and felt I got nothing from it, the only thing I got from this book is frustration and a sense of hopelessness that even with my free will, I can't stop this book from existing.
I used to think highly of Sam harris...until I actually read his book...don't read unless you feel like burning a book.
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- Sod Oscarfono
- 08-30-20
i'm trying to understand it
I'm sure this arguement will begin to make sense to me at some point in time. I've listened three times through and am not there yet. I'll keep trying.