Free will is a concept in traditional philosophy used to refer to the belief that human behavior is not absolutely determined by external causes, but is the result of choices made by an act of will by the agent. Such choices are themselves not determined by external causes, but are determined by the motives and intentions of the agent, which themselves are not absolutely determined by external causes. Traditionally, those who deny the existence of …showed first 75 words of 1116 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1116 total…can enjoy whatever freedom our species is capable of. A better understanding of these issues will not come from traditional philosophers debating free will vs. determinism. Neuroscientists will provide the knowledge, neurophilosophers the understanding. Determinism is the metaphysical theory which holds that all events are determined by mechanistic causes. Determinism is opposed to metaphysical libertarianism which holds that at least some human behavior is explicable in terms of the freedom and responsibility of the agent.