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The Free Will Show

Taylor Cyr and Matt Flummer
Free Will
Philosophy Of Religion
Moral Responsibility
Responsibility
Divine Freedom
John Duns Scotus
Agency
Philosophy
Law
Christian Theology
Human Free Will
Time Travel
Criminal Law
Petitionary Prayer
Theology Of Religion
Contingency
Medieval Philosophy
Determinism
Moral Psychology
Eternalism

Do any of us really have free will? What does it mean to have free will, anyway? Is free will compatible with determinism? Hasn’t science disproved free will? How could we have free will if God exists and foreknows everything that we will ever do? The Free Will Show provides a beginner-friendly introduction to the topic of free will while at the same time exposing listeners to cutting-edge develop... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes121Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PhilosophySociety & CultureEducation

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Artwork for The Free Will Show

Latest Episodes

In this episode, we talk with Marcus Arvan about how the simulation hypothesis explains various philosophical phenomena, including free will.

Marcus's website: www.marcusarvan.net/

Marcus's paper: A New Theory of Free Will

Twitter: https:/... more

In this episode, we talk with Barbara Vetter about abilities and how we come to know what abilities we have.

Barbara's website: barbaravetter.de/

Barbara's first book, Potentiality: From Dispositions to Modality: academic.oup.com/boo... more

In this episode, we talk with Huzeyfe Demirtas about responsibility for consequences and how that relates to autonomous AI systems.

Huzeyfe's Website: www.huzeyfedemirtas.com/

Huzeyfe's paper, "Against the Degree-Scope Response to Moral Luc... more

In this episode, we talk with Shaun Nichols about folk beliefs about determinism and causal explanation.

Shaun's website: sites.google.com/view/shaunbnichols/home

Shaun's book, Bound: Essays on Free Will and Responsibility: academic... more

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Recent Guests

Marcus Arvan
Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tampa
University of Tampa
Episode: Episode 116: The Simulation Hypothesis and Free Will with Marcus Arvan
Barbara Vetter
Professor of Theoretical Philosophy at the Free University of Berlin; co-director of Human Abilities
Free University of Berlin; Human Abilities Center
Episode: Episode 115: Abilities with Barbara Vetter
Huzeyfe Demirtas
Post-doctoral fellow in philosophy at Harvard University; focuses on moral responsibility, free will, causation, and ethics of AI
Harvard University
Episode: Episode 114: Responsibility for Consequences and the AI Responsibility Gap with Huzeyfe Demirtas
Shaun Nichols
Distinguished Professor of Arts and Sciences and Philosophy at Cornell University
Cornell University
Episode: Episode 113: Determinism and the Principle of Sufficient Reason with Shaun Nichols
Andre Rusavuk
American-Ukrainian philosopher focusing on luck and religion
Episode: Episode 112: Divine Luck with Andre Leo Rusavuk
Nathan Bray
Ph.D. student in philosophy
University of St. Andrews
Episode: Episode 111: Divine Responsibility with Nathan Bray and Stephen Kershnar
Stephen Kershnar
Distinguished teaching professor of philosophy
Fredonia State University of New York
Episode: Episode 111: Divine Responsibility with Nathan Bray and Stephen Kershnar
Thomas Williams
Isabelle A and Henry D. Martin Professor of Medieval Philosophy at Georgetown University, expert on Medieval Philosophy and Theology, focusing on figures like Augustine, Aquinas and Duns Scotus.
Georgetown University
Episode: Episode 110: John Duns Scotus with Thomas Williams
Harm Goris
Assistant Professor of Dogmatic Theology at Tilburg University
Tilburg University
Episode: Episode 109: Thomas Aquinas with Harm Goris

Hosts

Taylor Cyr
Host of The Free Will Show; co-host and philosopher with focus on metaphysics, ethics, and public philosophy.
Matt Flummer
Co-host of The Free Will Show; philosopher and educator, often guiding conversations and exploring free will themes.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 106 ratings
  • Mr Barry

    A wonderful education in an area I’m interested in.

    Very thorough with views from all the experts.

    A great way to learn. Thanks.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Young Bazz
    Australia2 years ago
  • Awesome Show

    Really love this podcast. I was more of a theology geek before finding it, but since listening I’ve developed a real interest in philosophy. They have great guests to discuss difficult topics. Subjects are always very interesting. Would highly recommend the podcast

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    1983AuburnTiger
    United States2 years ago
  • Parker’s Pensées

    This podcast is amazing! I love Taylor and Matt. They are first rate philosophers of free will in their own right as well as philosophy professors. They get amazing guests on and they ask so many of the questions that I want to ask them as well as the questions I’m too dumb to think of. I highly recommend this podcast!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    The Handsome Brother
    United States5 years ago
  • Brilliant Podcast

    An amazing podcast with 2 brilliant scholars working in the field of free will.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lucas Hondros
    United States5 years ago
  • Brilliant show

    This is a brilliant show. The format is mainly that a different philosopher chats to the hosts every week on a different aspect of the philosophy of free will. Coming from a non-academic-philosophy background, the discussion is accessible enough to be understood, but also doesn’t “dumb down” the points and arguments, which is greatly appreciated (and often rare). I imagine though it’s equally as fascinating if you are in academia. Many of the issues discussed cut to the heart of problems we expe... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NeonFuture
    United Kingdom5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Show blends historical context with contemporary relevance, appealing to both scholars and curious newcomers.
Guests and hosts ask thoughtful questions that probe core issues without dumbing down.
Listeners praise accessible yet rigorous discussions and strong guests.
Strong positive feedback on the quality of guest selections and the clarity of explanations.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 116: The Simulation Hypothesis and Free Will with Marcus Arvan
Q: For listeners who've never heard of The Simulation Hypothesis, could you give us some basic background about it? And why some philosophers like David Chalmers or Nick Bostrom take it seriously?
The hypothesis suggests our reality is computer-generated, with two main branches: we could be inside a simulation ourselves or connected to one from the outside. Nick Bostrom argues a post-human civilization could run ancestor simulations, making simulated beings abundant relative to non-simulated ones, which makes the simulation scenario more probable overall.
Episode 115: Abilities with Barbara Vetter
Q: Why is it important to integrate agency and experiential aspects into our understanding of abilities?
She argues that the acquisition of abilities through practice, along with the development of a sense of agency, provides reliable knowledge about what one can do and that these developmental processes explain why abilities are often learned 'for free' and why general abilities come first in our knowledge formation.
Episode 115: Abilities with Barbara Vetter
Q: What is your view on modal epistemology and how we know about abilities?
Barbara outlines a non-traditional epistemology of ability that emphasizes repeated success, agency, and sense of agency, arguing that ability knowledge should not be treated as a simple sub-case of necessity/possibility knowledge but as its own epistemic project rooted in experiential and participatory aspects of action.
Episode 115: Abilities with Barbara Vetter
Q: How do affordances relate to abilities in your account?
She defines affordances as object-relative possibilities that are grounded in an agent's abilities; they help track what the world offers us to do, anchoring knowledge of action possibilities to environmental features rather than to the agent alone.
Episode 115: Abilities with Barbara Vetter
Q: What is agentive modality and how does it differ from ordinary modality?
Barbara explains that agentive modality shifts the focus from mere possibility or necessity to the agent's control and ability to perform actions, highlighting that expressions like 'can' often behave differently when an agent is involved, and that this requires a distinct, context-sensitive account beyond standard modal logic.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Free Will Show

What is The Free Will Show about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thinky, accessibility-forward discussion around free will, determinism, responsibility, and related topics across philosophy, AI ethics, theology, and cognitive science. Guests are often leading philosophers and scholars who connect historical debates to contemporary issues, from medieval to modern thought, with episodes that blend expert analysis, thought experiments, and approachable explanations. A notable strength is the mix of rigorous argumentation with down-to-earth examples and a willingness to bridge philosophy with practical and interdisciplinary angles, making it appealing to both students and curious general listeners who want clear, nuanced debates about freedom, control, and moral responsibility.

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Which podcasts are similar to The Free Will Show?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Free Will Show:

1. Philosophy For Our Times
2. No Such Thing As A Fish
3. Within Reason
4. Empire: World History
5. Overthink

How many episodes of The Free Will Show are there?

The Free Will Show launched 6 years ago and published 121 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Free Will Show?

Recent guests on The Free Will Show include:

1. Marcus Arvan
2. Barbara Vetter
3. Huzeyfe Demirtas
4. Shaun Nichols
5. Andre Rusavuk
6. Nathan Bray
7. Stephen Kershnar
8. Thomas Williams

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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