Free will is a generally disreputable notion among most contemporary philosophers, and it fares no better in the sciences of the mind. Most researchers are compatibilists or outright determinists. The idea of free will faces challenges at the level of particular studies which purport to cast doubt upon it, and at the level of background frameworks and methods which purport that it is unscientific or incoherent. What causes this disrepute, what are these challenges, and where and why does it matter in these fields? How might we get clarity on these issues? 

Join the panelists in a wide-ranging exploration of the relationship of the cognitive sciences to the philosophical issue of free will. The panelists—Drs. Matt Bateman, Ben Bayer and Dale Stevens—have experience in contemporary neuroscience, cognitive science, and philosophy of psychology. The panelists will have a brief opening discussion and then field questions from the audience.