Michael Shermer: Science and Justice – Free Will and Moral Responsibility in a Secular Society

[52:09]

If the universe is determined by the laws of nature, and people are a part of this determined universe, then we cannot have free will. But without free will how can we hold people accountable for their actions? In this talk, from The Amazing Meeting 2014, based on a chapter in his book, The Moral Arc, Dr. Michael Shermer gives three reasons why we are volitional beings who make real choices and are therefore morally culpable, all while existing in a determined universe. An uplifting ending leaves the audience feeling optimistic about our justice system and why our society is becoming ever more moral.

[Video and text source: Skeptic Magazine YouTube channel]