Determined

What if everything you believe about free will is an illusion, shaped by factors far beyond your control?

1. Every action stems from a deeper chain of causes

Human behaviors don’t arise in isolation. Instead, they emerge from a long sequence of interconnected influences, much like the metaphor of "turtles all the way down." Your decisions are shaped by factors like biology, environment, upbringing, and culture, none of which you choose.

For instance, your brain’s neurons fire based on prior activities, shaped by your past experiences, genetics, and hormonal responses. These in turn are influenced by events that occurred throughout various stages of your development, from childhood to adolescence and even before birth. The interplay of nature and nurture operates on such a deep level that the concept of an entirely "free" choice starts to crumble.

To better understand this, think about traits you didn’t choose, such as being left-handed or right-handed. Similarly, nobody "decides" to have depression or a learning difficulty. Extending this understanding broadly, all behaviors – even less obvious ones – are subject to this same web of prior conditions.

Examples

• A child raised in an abusive setting may grow up with suppressed impulse control, perpetuating cycles of violence.
• Genetics might predispose someone toward being risk-averse or adventurous.
• Cultural norms shape attitudes, like viewing smiling as approachable in one culture but calm expressions as better in another.

2. Choices begin before you’re aware of them

Decisions feel conscious, but science suggests otherwise. Neuroscientist Benjamin Libet’s famous experiments on "readiness potential" demonstrated that the brain initiates decisions milliseconds before we’re aware of making them, implying our unconscious mind sets things in motion before we act.

Participants in his studies believed they chose when to press buttons, but their brain initiated these actions seconds earlier. It’s as if your unconscious mind drafts a plan and your conscious self only later stamps its approval. While this might feel unsettling, it reshapes our understanding of autonomy, hinting that most decisions lie outside conscious control.

However, Libet also introduced the concept of "free won’t." While we may not choose our initial impulses, we can sometimes override them. For instance, though your neurons prepare to tell off a rude coworker, you may stop yourself, exercising a form of veto power.

Examples

• Brain scans showing neural activity before conscious decision-making confirm this delay.
• A person about to grab an unhealthy snack may stop mid-action, acting on "free won’t."
• Split-second decisions, like avoiding an obstacle when driving, occur unconsciously before realization.

3. Decades of conditioning inform your decisions

The person you are today is the sum of countless external inputs over your lifetime. Childhood experiences, societal norms, and even weather during upbringing all shape how you respond to situations and make decisions. These influences build the foundation upon which your seeming choices rest.

Consider a police officer deciding in mere seconds whether to use lethal force. That appraisal isn’t made in a vacuum; it reflects years of accumulated biases, training, and even influences like hunger or hormonal fluctuations. Neurological changes from experiences like trauma or parenthood rewire the brain, sculpting decision-making capacities over time.

Even the development of your frontal cortex – the brain’s decision-making hub – highlights how deeply environment shapes behavior. Forming mostly during adolescence, this region absorbs years of emotional, social, and environmental input, laying the groundwork for choices made decades later.

Examples

• Kids in loving, stable homes often develop better impulse control later in life.
• Cultural differences, like expressions of politeness or assertiveness, reflect societal conditioning.
• Fathers’ brain changes, like reduced testosterone levels, post-childbirth encourage nurturing behavior.

4. Cultural and biological interplay drives actions

Cultural norms and biological factors interact in shaping our brains and actions. Cultures shape behavioral expectations, while biology tunes responses like emotions or predispositions. The dynamic between these forces proves essential to understanding why we think and act in certain ways.

For instance, people in East Asian societies often find calm expressions comforting due to cultural emphasis on harmony. Meanwhile, those from European heritage may prefer broad smiles due to individualistic value systems. These differences reflect both environmental learning and innate biological wiring.

Even at the hormonal level, cultural expectations influence behavior. Testosterone, for example, tends to affect threat sensitivity in social contexts differently based on the societal norms internalized by men or women – further nuancing cultural interplay.

Examples

• The serotonin-processing gene can lead to antisocial tendencies under certain upbringing conditions.
• Different cultural attitudes about expressions of joy or anxiety show nature blending with nurture.
• Economic or ecological pressures contribute to cultural values, like collectivism in tough environments.

5. Justice systems rely on outdated notions of accountability

Modern societies base morality and justice on the assumption of free will. Laws punish harmful actions, believing individuals can consciously act differently. However, understanding that actions derive from uncontrollable influences radically shifts how we approach accountability.

Take epilepsy historically thought to result from witchcraft. Individuals accused of bewitching others faced punishment based on ignorance about neurological conditions. Similarly, neurobiology now reveals how someone’s harmful actions can stem from factors they never chose, like brain injuries or warped childhoods.

Instead of punitive models of justice, society could adopt systems focused on reform and safety. This approach frames dangerous behavior as a condition to address, not a moral failing to punish.

Examples

• A driver with a seizure disorder who kills someone lacks intentional malice – punishment could be replaced by preventative interventions.
• Juvenile offenders respond better to restorative justice programs emphasizing rehabilitation over retribution.
• Historical practices, such as punishing PTSD sufferers, show outdated accountability models.

6. Emotions and biology influence moral perception

Moral judgments – often thought of as products of reason – arise from biochemical and emotional factors. Disgust, hunger, and even the weather can sway how lenient or severe we feel when judging actions.

For example, studies reveal people’s opinions are stricter in unpleasant-smelling environments. Similarly, hunger can make someone less empathetic, altering their willingness to forgive minor transgressions. This suggests "rational" moral decisions hinge on physical and sensory cues beyond our awareness.

Understanding this phenomenon invites empathy when judging others, acknowledging how external factors nudge even our moral compasses.

Examples

• Participants in clean-smelling rooms showed greater mercy in experiments.
• Diet can influence emotional sharpness and forgiveness patterns in significant ways.
• Cultural taboos on specific foods reflect how biology and moral codes coevolve.

7. Conscious oversight doesn’t equate to total control

While you might veto impulses, shaping better habits requires restructuring conditions that spark choices. Both reshaping environments and fostering supportive habits guide reliably better outcomes.

For instance, someone prone to unhealthy eating might replace snacks in their pantry with healthier options, giving their brain an easier time vetoing bad habits. By adjusting stimulus availability rather than sheer willpower, choices can shift positively.

Effective reforms, whether in personal behavior or governance, recognize limits of agency and center real drivers: environment and biology.

Examples

• Urban design reducing crimes often functions better than policing.
• Replacing harmful habits via controlled exposure, like exercise, helps form reduced stress behaviors.
• Child-positive classroom designs improve cognitive self-regulation by altering stimuli.

8. Letting go of free will inspires societal change

Admitting the illusion of total autonomy might sound frightening, but it opens pathways to greater empathy. When we stop blaming others for actions shaped by their environments, histories, or genetics, we pave the road for fairer, kinder policies and interactions.

Think about past punitive responses to issues like left-handedness or PTSD. As our understanding evolves, stigmas recede, and compassionate systems prevail. Moving forward could mean rethinking punishment in favor of prevention, safety, and rehabilitation that views offenders as products, not villains.

Examples

• Opposing corporal punishment in schools succeeded with behavioral science.
• Education programs combat systemic biases developed from childhood ignorance.
• Societal shifts accepted once-stigmatized realities like LGBTQ+ rights.

9. Determinism doesn’t debase humanity; it liberates judgment

Accepting determinism isn’t about excusing harmful behaviors, but about understanding them. By knowing people aren’t infinitely malleable, we broaden accountability models without resorting to blaming.

Imagine a bear attacking someone. Removing blame doesn’t mean ignoring danger; it means recognizing causes without moralizing. Similarly, treating human misbehavior without attaching guilt allows for solutions targeting root causes, creating safer communities.

Embracing deterministic views – paired with compassion – helps remove shame and focus attempts on effective change.

Examples

• Prison reform improving reintegration likelihood uses environmental nudges.
• Recognizing mental health and addiction reduces recidivism rates.
• Addressing cycles of generational poverty through structural support looks cause-forward.

Takeaways

1. Approach personal judgments of others with empathy—recognize most choices are influenced by their circumstances.
2. Advocate for reform in justice systems by supporting initiatives like restorative justice, which focus on safety and accountability without blame.
3. Reflect on your own habitual choices and evaluate how environment shapes them, then make small, actionable changes in your surroundings.