Book SummaryFree Will, by Sam Harris

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Free Will

Many of the assumptions we make about ourselves and others are based on our belief that we have free will: the power to choose the decisions we make and the actions we take. But in Free Will (2012), philosopher and neuroscientist Sam Harris argues that free will is an illusion—one that contradicts what scientists have learned about how our brains work.

Harris is the author of Waking Up (2014) and _[The Moral...

Free Will Summary What Is Free Will?

To understand Harris’s argument that free will doesn’t exist, we first have to examine the concept of free will. In this section, we’ll explore the ways in which Harris and other thinkers define free will and examine how these ideas differ from our everyday working definition of free will.

(Shortform note: As we’ll see in the next section of the guide, experts like Harris have proposed a variety of ways to think about free will. To understand them, it helps to examine exactly what these experts mean by the idea of “will.” To philosophers, the will is the part of our conscious mind that makes decisions based on our desires. This means that the debate over whether we have free will involves the question of whether our will is really in charge of deciding our behavior, or whether this conscious part of our mind is just operating according to a set of rules that are already determined.)

What’s the Definition of Free Will?

When Harris argues that we don’t have free will, his argument draws on a very specific definition of free will. **Harris characterizes free will as a state in which we’re conscious of, and have control over,...

Free Will Summary What’s the Case Against Free Will?

Though experts’ different definitions of free will inspire arguments about whether we make our choices freely, Harris takes the determinist position that we can’t, and don’t, have free will. In this section, we’ll examine how Harris makes the case that free will is an illusion and how he explains why we believe in it in the first place.

How Can We Tell That Free Will Is an Illusion?

Harris writes that we believe in free will not because it makes logical sense, but because it squares with our intuitions and feelings. Like other determinists, he believes that what we feel about our agency misleads us. What we experience when we’re thinking about a decision doesn’t indicate the true causes of our thoughts and actions, according to Harris. You might feel that what you think consciously—for example, the train of thought that seems to lead you to decide to work on a report rather than go to the movies—causes your decision. But Harris contends that the chain of events responsible for that decision is actually a separate set of processes in your brain, and the subjective experience of a free choice is an illusion.

**What Does It Mean for Free Will to Be an...

Free Will Summary Why Does It Matter Whether Free Will Is an Illusion?

Many questions about free will sound abstract until we start to think about their real-life implications. Harris argues that we’re better off knowing we don’t have free will than wrongly assuming we do. In this section, we’ll explore the practical benefits of accepting that free will is an illusion, examining Harris’s arguments that knowing we lack free will can help us treat ourselves and others more compassionately and ethically.

It Can Make Us Humbler and More Compassionate With Ourselves

The first benefit of recognizing free will as an illusion is that we gain a new freedom: freedom from a misplaced sense of credit or blame for our actions, according to Harris. He contends that once we know that external factors shape what we do, then we’ll feel more humble about our accomplishments and more compassionate about our failures. He also thinks that we’d benefit from realizing that much of our character comes down to luck: Different circumstances would have made us into a different sort of person.

(Shortform note: The idea that you’ve become who you are by chance might be uncomfortable, but many scientists think that [luck plays a key...

Free Will Summary How Can We Maintain a Sense of Self Without Free Will?

Even though Harris argues that we don’t have free will, he doesn’t believe that accepting free will as an illusion—which requires a major shift in perspective for many of us—has to undermine everything we believe about ourselves and others. In this section, we’ll explore three ways Harris says we can maintain a strong sense of self and agency even in the absence of free will.

Recognize That You Can Still Think Deliberately

First, Harris recommends recognizing the crucial role that deliberate thought plays in your life. He explains that while it’s true that you don’t cause your thoughts or choices, it’s also true that you have to think and deliberate to make certain kinds of decisions or plans. (Some choices, like picking a bagel or oatmeal for breakfast, can happen almost automatically. But that’s not true for complex decisions like choosing which neighborhood to live in.) Harris writes that you can choose to think deliberately or to focus your attention on a specific question or decision. Even if you don’t have ultimate control over the thoughts that you think, he recommends recognizing that you still do need to think and deliberate.

(Shortform note: Other...

Shortform Exercise: Think About Your Opinions on Free Will

Harris’s central argument is that free will is an illusion, and his purpose in writing the book was to convince readers that they don’t really have as much control over their choices as they might think. Reflect on whether you agree or disagree with Harris’s point of view.

Do you agree with Harris’s argument that we don’t have free will? Why or why not?