Itamar FeldmanA new ARI podcast series, ARI Bookshelf, gives you a window into ARI’s educational programs by showcasing our faculty as they discuss books of recent interest. This episode discusses Kennon M. Sheldon’s book Freely Determined. Panelists include Ben Bayer, Jason Rheins, Greg Salmieri, and Gena Gorlin.
Freely Determined offers a psychologist’s case against popular forms of determinism and argues that mental health depends on a belief in one’s agency.
Our panelists examine Sheldon’s arguments and positions from a wider philosophical perspective and indicate its strengths and weaknesses. They find value in his answers to scientific arguments for determinism but question his account of motivation. They also discuss the value of psychological research and the relationship between philosophy and the sciences.
The discussion covered:
- Panelists’ general take on the book;
- The history of arguments for and against free will;
- How mental health may depend on a belief in one’s agency;
- The book’s distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation;
- The book’s vague conceptualization of the self;
- Why progress in psychology is messy.
The video was released on September 10, 2024.
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