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Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery pp 3–23Cite as

The neuroscientific foundations of free will

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Part of the book series: Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery ((NEUROSURGERY,volume 37))

Abstract

The issue of free will is at the heart of understanding ourselves, what it means to be a conscious, thinking, and responsibly acting human being. A position on this issue has profound implications on how we see ourselves as moral agents and on our place in the universe. The developments in neuroscience over the last half century have provided us with much data concerning the function of the brain and its relationship to the mind. In this article we shall review contributions of both neurosurgeons and other neuroscientists to our understanding of free will. The volitional motor model will be emphasized for heuristic purposes. Ultimately, by understanding the limits of our freedom, we can enhance our concept of the meaning of our lives.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah-Tiqva

    Z. H. Rappaport

  2. Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

    Z. H. Rappaport

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  1. Z. H. Rappaport
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cambridge

    J. D. Pickard (Editor-in-Chief) (Editor-in-Chief)

  2. Ankara

    N. Akalan

  3. Prague

    V. Benes Jr.

  4. Rome

    C. Di Rocco

  5. Ljubljana

    V. V. Dolenc

  6. Lisbon

    J. Lobo Antunes

  7. Petah-Tiqva

    Z. H. Rappaport

  8. Bonn

    J. Schramm

  9. Lyon

    M. Sindou

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Rappaport, Z.H. (2011). The neuroscientific foundations of free will. In: Pickard, J.D., et al. Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery. Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery, vol 37. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-0673-0_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-0673-0_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-7091-0672-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-7091-0673-0

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