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The Free Will Show

Taylor Cyr and Matt Flummer
Free Will
Moral Responsibility
Philosophy Of Religion
Philosophy
Divine Freedom
Determinism
John Duns Scotus
Addiction
Responsibility
Agency
Metaphysics
Sin
Blameworthiness
Philosophy Of Mind
Grace
Time Travel
Law
Thomas Aquinas
Christian Theology
Human Free Will

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 monthlyEpisodes125Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureEducationPhilosophy

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Artwork for The Free Will Show

Latest Episodes

In this episode, we talk Mikayla Kelley about the distinction between basic and nonbasic action and different accounts of nonbasic action.

Mikayla's website: www.mikaylakelley.com/

Mikayla's paper: How to Perform a Nonbasic Action

Twitter:... more

In this episode, we talk with Alison Fernandes about cases of time travel and how knowledge constrains deliberation.

Alison's website: www.alisonfernandes.net/

Alison's paper, "Freedom, Self-Prediction, and the Possibility of Time Travel": h... more

In this episode, we talk with Jeffrey Koperski about whether physics rules out libertarian free will.

Jeff's website: appsc2.svsu.edu/lookup/bio/koperski

Jeff's book: Physics and Free Will: The Science of Libertarian Freedom

Twitter: https... more

In this episode, we talk with Joshua Shepherd about the structure of agency and creative intelligence.

Josh's website: sites.google.com/site/shepherdphilosophy/home?authuser=0

Josh's Book: The Shape of Agency

Twitter: twitter.com/t... more

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Recent Guests

Mikayla Kelley
Neubauer Family Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy, University of Chicago
University of Chicago
Episode: Episode 120: Nonbasic Action with Mikayla Kelley
Alison Fernandes
Associate Professor of Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin
Trinity College Dublin
Episode: Episode 119: Self-Prediction and Time Travel with Alison Fernandes
Jeffrey Koperski
Professor of Philosophy at Saginaw Valley State University; philosopher of science and religion
Saginaw Valley State University
Episode: Episode 118: Physics and Libertarian Free Will with Jeffrey Koperski
Joshua Shepherd
ICREA Research Professor at Autonomous University of Barcelona
Autonomous University of Barcelona
Episode: Episode 117: The Structure of Agency with Joshua Shepherd
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

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 110 ratings
  • Great Show

    Love this show. It’s been a great way to see what’s going on in the Free Will academic space. I originally wanted to do my grad work in free will, but wound up doing philosophy of time instead. This caused me to lose touch with the literature. This has been a nice way back in.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Steven Pique
    United States2 months ago
  • 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 States3 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

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 120: Nonbasic Action with Mikayla Kelley
Q: Why is the constitution view attractive, and what is Kelley challenging about it?
The constitution view is attractive for its simplicity: nonbasic actions are just made up of basic actions; Kelley challenges this by arguing that productive means can realize nonbasic actions without a constituted relation, allowing nonbasic actions to be caused rather than constituted by basic actions.
Episode 120: Nonbasic Action with Mikayla Kelley
Q: Can you explain the distinction between basic and nonbasic actions and give examples?
Basic actions are performed without performing another action as a means, while nonbasic actions are performed by performing some other action as a means; examples include winking (basic) and voting by raising your arm (nonbasic).
Episode 119: Self-Prediction and Time Travel with Alison Fernandes
Q: Well, what are the main objections to the ignorance condition on deliberation and how do you address them?
Two main objections are that deliberation is about choosing the right outcome rather than fixing certainty, and that intrinsic, built-in freedom should determine abilities regardless of beliefs. The response is that deliberation often depends on knowledge and environment, and the ignorance condition can be compatible with rational action by acknowledging context-dependent notions of ability and by emphasizing local fixed aspects (what one is certain of, evidentially accessible, and causally upstream) rather than global, absolute certainty.
Episode 119: Self-Prediction and Time Travel with Alison Fernandes
Q: Could you summarize and explain Lewis' response to the grandfather paradox?
Lewis argues that contradictions in time travel aren't true if we distinguish different senses of 'can'—one related to local, ordinary capacities and another tied to the history of a time-traveling agent. When kept separate, you can both have the ordinary ability to act and still fail in the time-travel context without committing to a global contradiction; the paradox dissolves by not conflating the two senses of possibility.
Episode 118: Physics and Libertarian Free Will with Jeffrey Koperski
Q: What is libertarian freedom, and how does it relate to determinism and the idea of leeway in choices?
Libertarian freedom is described as leeway free will, where actions are caused in part by our own choices that are not fully determined by prior physical states and laws. The future contains live options, and we could have acted otherwise, which keeps room for human agency even if some determinism is acknowledged at the micro level.

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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. Reasonable Faith Podcast
2. Philosophy For Our Times
3. Philosophy Bites
4. Within Reason
5. Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

How many episodes of The Free Will Show are there?

The Free Will Show launched 6 years ago and published 125 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. Mikayla Kelley
2. Alison Fernandes
3. Jeffrey Koperski
4. Joshua Shepherd
5. Marcus Arvan
6. Barbara Vetter
7. Huzeyfe Demirtas
8. Shaun Nichols

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