Book SummaryDetermined, by Robert Sapolsky

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Determined

Scientists, philosophers, and theologians have spent millennia debating whether or not people have free will. In Determined, Robert Sapolsky says that decades of research have led him to two conclusions: First, people do not have free will; and second, accepting this fact will empower us to create a better world for everyone.

Sapolsky is a neuroscientist who’s spent decades exploring the biological and neurological causes of human behavior. He researches such varied topics as how stress affects the brain, what drives people to commit acts of violence, and why religious beliefs are so widespread and enduring. Sapolsky is widely published in academic journals and has also written several popular science books, the most famous of which is...

Determined Summary The Predetermined Universe

Sapolsky begins by explaining determinism: the theory that every event, from the most important to the most trivial, is the direct result of whatever happened immediately before it. Those occurrences, in turn, were due to what happened immediately before them, and so on. In short, determinism theorizes an unbroken web of events that reaches all the way back to the beginning of the universe.

Determinism also means that whatever happened was the only thing that could have happened at that moment, because it was determined by the moment beforehand. For example, think about what happens when you throw a ball: The moment you let go, the place where that ball will land has already been determined by the force of your arm, the angle of your throw, the wind, and countless other factors. The ball can’t simply choose to land someplace else—all it can do is travel along its predetermined path.

(Shortform note: Sapolsky’s strict deterministic view of the world closely resembles a theory that Sir Isaac Newton—who was a devoutly religious man as well as a scientist—proposed in the late 17th century, which is known as the [Clockwork Universe...

Determined Summary Scientific Theories of Free Will

Now that we’ve explained Sapolsky’s strictly deterministic view of the universe, we’ll explore several science-based theories of free will and Sapolsky’s counterarguments to those theories.

This section will cover:

• Compatibilism: the theory that objects must behave according to deterministic natural laws, but people can choose their own actions.
• Chaoticism: the theory that human behavior is so unpredictable that it must be the result of free will, because no natural laws can explain it.
• Emergent complexity: the theory that free will can’t be explained by the behavior of individual brain cells but can be explained by the interactions between those cells.
• Quantum indeterminacy: the theory that because subatomic particles don’t follow the laws of determinism, people (who are made of such particles) can behave indeterminately as well.

Theory #1: Compatibilism

First of all, Sapolsky says many people believe that determinism and free will can both be true; in other words, that they’re compatible with each other. These compatibilists believe the universe is deterministic and runs according to unchangeable laws of nature, but people are still...

Determined Summary Implications of a World Without Free Will

Now that we’ve reviewed Sapolsky’s arguments against the possibility of free will, we’ll discuss why this issue matters. There are enormous psychological and societal implications to a universe without free will, but the author argues that embracing determinism would be largely positive for society.

We’ll begin this section by explaining what it would be like to live in a world where people aren’t praised or rewarded for their achievements (because those achievements weren’t the result of their decisions). Next, we’ll examine the implications of a world where people aren’t blamed or punished for their actions. Finally, we’ll discuss why Sapolsky believes that such a world would be fairer and kinder than our current individualistic society.

Implication #1: No Praise or Rewards

As we’ve already discussed at length, if free will doesn’t exist, then by definition people aren’t responsible for their own actions. Sapolsky says that if we follow that line of thought to its conclusion, it suggests that people shouldn’t be praised or rewarded for the things they accomplish. However, he also recognizes that this goes against human nature in several crucial ways:

**1) It goes...

Determined Summary Conclusion: Act “As If”

Sapolsky concludes by saying that, while all available evidence suggests people’s actions are predetermined, it’s impossible to know for sure. However, he argues that it would be best for people to assume that free will doesn’t exist. This is not only because there’s no evidence for the existence of free will, but also because of all the ways that such a worldview would improve society, as we discussed before.

(Shortform note: After spending an entire book arguing in favor of strict determinism, it might seem strange for Sapolsky to now admit that his theory could be wrong. However, as physicist David Deutsch explains in The Beginning of Infinity, a crucial part of scientific advancement is recognizing that even very strongly supported theories [could still be proven...

Shortform Exercise: Think About Determinism and Its Implications

Now that you’re familiar with Sapolsky’s ideas about determinism and free will (or lack thereof), take some time to consider what you’ve read. In particular, think about whether you agree with Sapolsky and what determinism could mean for you personally.

Which of Sapolsky’s arguments for determinism do you find most convincing, and why? For example, maybe you found yourself agreeing with Sapolsky’s conclusion that the more we learn, the less we can attribute to free will and personal choice—and, therefore, if we knew everything, then we’d recognize that free will can’t exist.