15. Free Will | Is Decision-Making an Illusion?

Are your choices really yours—or has your brain already decided before you even realize it?

In this episode of the Still Life Podcast, Jim George and Henry Mitchell dive deep into one of the most debated topics in philosophy and neuroscience: free will. Do we actually have control over our actions, or are we just following an invisible script written by biology, culture, and unconscious forces?

We break down the science, philosophy, and real-world implications of free will, exploring how our sense of agency might be an illusion—and what that means for morality, responsibility, and the way we live.

Key Topics Covered:

🔹 What is Free Will? – Defining agency, choice, and veto power.

🔹 The Neuroscience of Decision-Making – Why your brain makes choices before you do.

🔹 Why the Illusion of Free Will Exists – Evolutionary and psychological reasons behind our sense of autonomy.

🔹 What This Means for Morality & Responsibility – If we don’t have free will, how should we act?

🔹 How Stillness Helps You See Through the Illusion – Why expanding your awareness shifts everything.

This conversation will challenge what you think you know. Are you truly in control—or just along for the ride?