Researchers from HSE University have cast doubt on the well-known experiments, chiefly those conducted by Benjamin Libet, that have called the concept of free will into question. Libet’s groundbreaking work in the 1970s and 1980s employed electroencephalograms (EEGs) to demonstrate that brain activity suggestive of a decision transpired before people were consciously cognizant of their intention to act. However, recent investigations by the HSE team point to errors in how Libet gauged awareness of intention and contend that the readiness potential is not a direct indicator of the decision itself. Their results underscore the necessity for a new angle in the ongoing discourse about free will.
You Are Accountable for Your Actions, Not Your Brain
Scientists at HSE University have questioned seminal studies that cast doubt on the notion of free will in human decision-making. One cannot ascribe accountability for one’s actions solely to neurological processes. The findings of this new research have been recently published in the scientific journal Neuropsychologia.
Table of Contents
The Historical Landscape of the Free Will Discussion
The contentious topic of human free will has been under debate for an extended period. Neuroscientists entered this long-standing conversation through the EEG experiments spearheaded by Benjamin Libet in the latter half of the 20th century. Libet found that EEG activity predictive of a specific action is emitted 0.5–1.5 seconds before an individual is consciously aware of their intent to perform said action. This led to the notion that decisions are essentially the byproduct of unconscious cerebral processes.
Libet’s results have stirred considerable debate and have led some neuroscientists to argue that free will is non-existent. The methodology has been further validated using functional magnetic resonance imaging, revealing that a subject’s choice can be anticipated even 6-10 seconds before conscious realization.
HSE University’s Perspective on the Established Model
Researchers from the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience have scrutinized this prevailing experimental framework. Their latest study indicates that Libet’s measurement of intention awareness was flawed. Furthermore, they found that the EEG activity, previously interpreted as readiness for a decision by Libet, does not have a direct bearing on the decision at hand.
In Libet’s original experiments, participants were asked to flex their wrists sporadically while simultaneously noting the point in time when they felt prepared to perform the action. Libet assessed the timing of this awareness based on the participants’ self-reporting. Researchers from HSE University replicated the experiment with modifications to the original procedure. Employing advanced EEG methods and behavioral reports, they discovered that the timing of intention awareness could be manipulated by the experimental setup itself. It seems the Libet task’s instructions inadvertently lead participants to believe that intention should manifest well before a final decision occurs.
Moreover, their study affirmed that no direct relationship exists between the brain’s preparatory activity and the individual’s intention to act. The moment at which subjects felt the intent varied, while the readiness potential was consistently observed at roughly the same timeframe. Thus, this readiness potential may signify a general state of preparation for decision-making but is not indicative of a formed intent to act.
Final Remarks
“Our investigation brings to light the ambiguities in Libet’s research and negates a linear relationship between brain signals and the act of decision-making. It appears that the conventional Libet paradigm falls short of resolving the question of free will in human decision-making. A novel methodology is needed to untangle this complex scientific enigma,” says Dmitry Bredikhin, junior Research Fellow at the Centre for Cognition & Decision Making.
“Neuroscience aims to resolve fundamental questions about human existence, including those concerning free will and moral responsibility. The level of precision required for drawing impactful conclusions is exceptionally high. While our study identifies various shortcomings in Libet’s influential experiments, it does not close the chapter on the enigmatic nature of human free will. The debate persists, making it one of the most compelling questions facing contemporary science,” comments Vasily Klucharev, Project Coordinator and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience.
Reference: “(Non)-experiencing the intention to move: On the comparisons between the Readiness Potential onset and Libet’s W-time” by Dimitri Bredikhin, Ksenia Germanova, Vadim Nikulin and Vasily Klucharev, published on April 29, 2023, in Neuropsychologia. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108570.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Free Will
What is the main finding of the researchers from HSE University?
The researchers from HSE University have found significant flaws in the methodology of Benjamin Libet’s iconic experiments, which originally cast doubt on the concept of human free will. Specifically, they argue that Libet’s metrics for measuring the awareness of intention are incorrect and that the readiness potential does not directly correlate with the decision itself.
Who is Benjamin Libet and why is his work significant?
Benjamin Libet was a pioneering neuroscientist whose experiments in the 1970s and 1980s have been seminal in questioning the notion of free will. He used electroencephalograms (EEGs) to show that brain activity suggesting a decision occurs before individuals are consciously aware of their intention to act.
What is readiness potential and how does it relate to free will?
Readiness potential is a type of brain activity that has been interpreted as a precursor to voluntary actions. In Libet’s experiments, it was considered an indicator that a decision had been made before an individual was consciously aware of it. However, the HSE University researchers argue that readiness potential does not have a direct relationship with the decision itself.
What journal was the research from HSE University published in?
The research from HSE University was published in the scientific journal Neuropsychologia.
What does the new research suggest about the ongoing debate on free will?
The new research suggests that the prevailing experimental framework, primarily established by Libet’s studies, may not be suitable for definitively answering questions about the existence of free will. The researchers from HSE University call for a new approach to this complex and long-standing scientific question.
Who are the key people involved in the new research from HSE University?
The key people involved in the research are Dmitry Bredikhin, a junior Research Fellow at the Centre for Cognition & Decision Making, and Vasily Klucharev, Project Coordinator and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience.
Are there plans for further research on this topic?
While the text does not explicitly state plans for further research, it does emphasize that the debate on the nature of free will continues to be one of the most compelling questions in modern science, suggesting the likelihood of ongoing research.
More about Free Will
- Neuropsychologia: The scientific journal where the research from HSE University was published.
- Benjamin Libet: Information about Benjamin Libet, the neuroscientist whose experiments are discussed in the text.
- HSE University: The official website of HSE University, where the researchers conducted their study.
- Centre for Cognition & Decision Making: Information about the research center at HSE University where Dmitry Bredikhin, one of the key researchers, is affiliated.
- Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience: Information about the institute at HSE University where Vasily Klucharev, another key researcher, is affiliated.
4 comments
wow, interestin stuff bout free will, hse univ found flaws in libets work, they say its not so simple as brain decide first, need new way to look at it
Brain not the boss of me! HSE Uni rocks the boat, Libet’s experiments not the final word on free will.
Libet, EEG, free will – deep topics! HSE Uni got some fresh ideas, debate not over, new approach needed!
HSE Uni makin waves, libets study got questiond, readiness potential not the deal it seems, brain not so bossy as we thought