Is Free Will an Illusion? Two Philosophers Debate Choice, Science and God

Recorded at Aylesbury High School, Sam McKee hosts a lively Unbelievable? Podcast schools debate on one of life’s biggest questions: are we really free? Cambridge PhD researcher Matthew Su and Oxford philosopher of mind Amna Whiston go head-to-head on libertarian free will, determinism, and compatibilism and why it matters for moral responsibility, justice, and everyday choices. 0:00 Are We Really Free? The Big Question 1:17 Why Free Will Matters 5:45 Determinism, Libertarianism and Compatibilism Explained 8:03 Why Free Will Feels So Obvious 11:37 The Murder Case That Challenges Moral Responsibility 14:39 Can We Be Blamed If We’re Determined? 17:22 Does Science Disprove Free Will? 23:58 The Libet Experiment: Did Your Brain Decide First? 27:02 Are Humans Just Robots or Zombies? 33:30 Adam, Eve and the Freedom to Fall Can hunger, habit, upbringing, or neuroscience quietly steer our decisions? Are we “puppets” of biology, or genuinely authors of our actions? The conversation ranges from courtroom judgment and temptation to mental health, personhood, and whether AI and “philosophical zombies” help or hinder the case for human agency. Expect sharp definitions, real-world examples, and brilliant student questions starting @33:34 mins in. • Support us: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://www.premier.plus/unbelievable • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PremierUnbelievable/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/premierunbelievable - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@premierunbelievable - X (Twitter) https://x.com/unbelievablefe - Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/unbelievablefe.bsky.social