Overview

The legendary author of Behave shows that free will can not exist and explores the radical and disturbing implications What if free will is an illusion? In Determined one of the world's greatest scientists of human behaviour overturns one of our most powerful beliefs - that we are the authors of our own actions - and sets out the disturbing yet liberating implications of accepting this fact. As Robert Sapolsky shows, everything we think and do is caused by the luck of our biology and the influence of our environment, and ultimately both are beyond our control. In a world without free will, we must completely rethink what we mean by choice, responsibility, morality and justice. Sapolsky's extraordinary book does exactly this, guiding us toward a profoundly fairer, more humane way of living together.

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9781529920062

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Reviews

Excellent . . . Outstanding for its breadth of research, the liveliness of the writing, and the depth of humanity it conveys * Wall Street Journal * Wonderfully readable ... humorous and warm and humane -- Justin Webb * Today (BBC Radio 4) * Robert Sapolsky explains why the latest developments in neuroscience and psychology explode our conventional idea of Free Will. The book's chock-full of complex and often counter-intuitive ideas. It's also a joy to read. That's because Sapolsky is not only one of the world's most brilliant scientists, but also an immensely gifted writer who tells this important story with wit and compassion. It's impossible to recommend this book too highly. Reading it could change your life * Laurence Rees * In his usual frank and amusing style, Robert Sapolsky argues that free will is an illusion. His stance is both hard to accept and hard to deny. An utterly fascinating topic with mind-boggling implications for human morality -- Frans de Waal, author of Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist Fascinating, provocative and profound. This book tackles all sorts of big issues: how the human brain works, what makes us different, and what underlies everything we do. If Sapolsky is right, we might need to rethink justice and law, and for each of us personally, what it really takes to be happy and successful -- Daniel M. Davis, author of The Secret Body Fascinating and challenging - though I'm not sure if I really had a say in the matter * New Scientist * [A] witty, erudite, imaginative and deeply humane new book… [The] case that Sapolsky makes for a transition from a criminal-justice system based on blame and retribution…to one founded on blame-free rehabilitation is moving and compelling * Literary Review *

PRAISE FOR BEHAVE 'Awe-inspiring . . . this is the best scientific book written for non-specialists that I have ever read. You will learn more about human nature than in any other book I can think of, and you will be inspired -- Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm It's no exaggeration to say that Behave is one of the best nonfiction books I've ever read * Wall Street Journal * Behave is the best detective story ever written, and the most important. If you've ever wondered why someone did something - good or bad, vicious or generous - you need to read this book. If you think you already know why people behave as they do, you need to read this book. In other words, everybody needs to read it. It should be available on prescription (side effects: chronic laughter; highly addictive). They should put Behave in hotel rooms instead of the Bible: the world would be a much better, wiser place -- Kate Fox, author of Watching the English Magisterial . . . Sapolsky makes the book consistently entertaining, with an infectious excitement at the puzzles he explains . . . a miraculous synthesis of scholarly domains * Guardian * Rarely does an almost 800-page book keep my attention from start to finish, but Behave is exceptional in its scale, scope, detail and writing style . . . Sapolsky places what makes us special in the wider context of humans as animals with brains that are fundamentally similar to those of other species. It is the first book that does so comprehensively enough to qualify as a guide to human behaviour -- Frans de Waal * Science *

A bravura performance, well worth reading for the pleasure of Sapolsky’s deeply informed company … he makes a moving case that [our lack of freedom is] a reason to live with profound forgiveness and understanding … absorbing and compassionate -- Oliver Burkeman * Observer * [A] highly entertaining account of why … we should and must overcome the infuriating conspiracy of mind that insists we are the authors of our actions. Anyone who believes otherwise needs to read it -- Philip Ball * Times Literary Supplement * Wonderfully readable ... humorous and warm and humane -- Justin Webb * Today (BBC Radio 4) * Robert Sapolsky explains why the latest developments in neuroscience and psychology explode our conventional idea of Free Will. The book's chock-full of complex and often counter-intuitive ideas. It's also a joy to read. That's because Sapolsky is not only one of the world's most brilliant scientists, but also an immensely gifted writer who tells this important story with wit and compassion. It's impossible to recommend this book too highly. Reading it could change your life. * Laurence Rees * In his usual frank and amusing style, Robert Sapolsky argues that free will is an illusion. His stance is both hard to accept and hard to deny. An utterly fascinating topic with mind-boggling implications for human morality -- Frans de Waal, author of Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist

Robert Sapolsky explains why the latest developments in neuroscience and psychology explode our conventional idea of Free Will. The book's chock-full of complex and often counter-intuitive ideas. It's also a joy to read. That's because Sapolsky is not only one of the world's most brilliant scientists, but also an immensely gifted writer who tells this important story with wit and compassion. It's impossible to recommend this book too highly. Reading it could change your life. * Laurence Rees * In his usual frank and amusing style, Robert Sapolsky argues that free will is an illusion. His stance is both hard to accept and hard to deny. An utterly fascinating topic with mind-boggling implications for human morality -- Frans de Waal, author of Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist Fascinating, provocative and profound. This book tackles all sorts of big issues: how the human brain works, what makes us different, and what underlies everything we do. If Sapolsky is right, we might need to rethink justice and law, and for each of us personally, what it really takes to be happy and successful -- Daniel M. Davis, author of The Secret Body Fascinating and challenging - though I'm not sure if I really had a say in the matter * New Scientist * PRAISE FOR BEHAVE 'Awe-inspiring . . . this is the best scientific book written for non-specialists that I have ever read. You will learn more about human nature than in any other book I can think of, and you will be inspired -- Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm

A bravura performance, well worth reading for the pleasure of Sapolsky’s deeply informed company … he makes a moving case that [our lack of freedom is] a reason to live with profound forgiveness and understanding … absorbing and compassionate -- Oliver Burkeman * Observer * Excellent . . . Outstanding for its breadth of research, the liveliness of the writing, and the depth of humanity it conveys * Wall Street Journal * [A] highly entertaining account of why … we should and must overcome the infuriating conspiracy of mind that insists we are the authors of our actions. Anyone who believes otherwise needs to read it -- Philip Ball * Times Literary Supplement * Wonderfully readable ... humorous and warm and humane -- Justin Webb * Today (BBC Radio 4) * [A] witty, erudite, imaginative and deeply humane new book… [The] case that Sapolsky makes for a transition from a criminal-justice system based on blame and retribution…to one founded on blame-free rehabilitation is moving and compelling * Literary Review * Robert Sapolsky explains why the latest developments in neuroscience and psychology explode our conventional idea of Free Will. The book's chock-full of complex and often counter-intuitive ideas. It's also a joy to read. That's because Sapolsky is not only one of the world's most brilliant scientists, but also an immensely gifted writer who tells this important story with wit and compassion. It's impossible to recommend this book too highly. Reading it could change your life * Laurence Rees * In his usual frank and amusing style, Robert Sapolsky argues that free will is an illusion. His stance is both hard to accept and hard to deny. An utterly fascinating topic with mind-boggling implications for human morality -- Frans de Waal, author of Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist Witty and engaging, Determined is also a goldmine of fascinating information (most of it accessible even to those of us who aren’t scientifically literate) about neuroscience; philosophy; chaos theory; emergent complexity; quantum indeterminacy; evolving knowledge of the causes of epilepsy, schizophrenia, and autism; and, of course, the impact of nature and nurture on decision-making * Psychology Today * Sapolsky’s decades of experience studying the effects of the interplay of genes and the environment on behavior shine brightly . . . He provides compelling examples that bad luck compounds . . . convincingly argues against claims that chaos theory, emergent phenomena, or the indeterminism offered by quantum mechanics provide the gap required for free will to exist * Science * Fascinating, provocative and profound. This book tackles all sorts of big issues: how the human brain works, what makes us different, and what underlies everything we do. If Sapolsky is right, we might need to rethink justice and law, and for each of us personally, what it really takes to be happy and successful -- Daniel M. Davis, author of The Secret Body Provocative … If Sapolsky’s ideas were widely accepted they would lead to profound societal changes, not least within the criminal justice system * Sunday Times * Fascinating and challenging - though I'm not sure if I really had a say in the matter * New Scientist *

Robert Sapolsky explains why the latest developments in neuroscience and psychology explode our conventional idea of Free Will. The book's chock-full of complex and often counter-intuitive ideas. It's also a joy to read. That's because Sapolsky is not only one of the world's most brilliant scientists, but also an immensely gifted writer who tells this important story with wit and compassion. It's impossible to recommend this book too highly. Reading it could change your life. * Laurence Rees * PRAISE FOR BEHAVE 'Awe-inspiring . . . this is the best scientific book written for non-specialists that I have ever read. You will learn more about human nature than in any other book I can think of, and you will be inspired -- Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm It's no exaggeration to say that Behave is one of the best nonfiction books I've ever read * Wall Street Journal * Behave is the best detective story ever written, and the most important. If you've ever wondered why someone did something - good or bad, vicious or generous - you need to read this book. If you think you already know why people behave as they do, you need to read this book. In other words, everybody needs to read it. It should be available on prescription (side effects: chronic laughter; highly addictive). They should put Behave in hotel rooms instead of the Bible: the world would be a much better, wiser place -- Kate Fox, author of Watching the English Magisterial . . . Sapolsky makes the book consistently entertaining, with an infectious excitement at the puzzles he explains . . . a miraculous synthesis of scholarly domains * Guardian *

Robert Sapolsky explains why the latest developments in neuroscience and psychology explode our conventional idea of Free Will. The book's chock-full of complex and often counter-intuitive ideas. It's also a joy to read. That's because Sapolsky is not only one of the world's most brilliant scientists, but also an immensely gifted writer who tells this important story with wit and compassion. It's impossible to recommend this book too highly. Reading it could change your life. * Laurence Rees * In his usual frank and amusing style, Robert Sapolsky argues that free will is an illusion. His stance is both hard to accept and hard to deny. An utterly fascinating topic with mind-boggling implications for human morality -- Frans de Waal, author of Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist Fascinating, provocative and profound. This book tackles all sorts of big issues: how the human brain works, what makes us different, and what underlies everything we do. If Sapolsky is right, we might need to rethink justice and law, and for each of us personally, what it really takes to be happy and successful -- Daniel M. Davis, author of The Secret Body PRAISE FOR BEHAVE 'Awe-inspiring . . . this is the best scientific book written for non-specialists that I have ever read. You will learn more about human nature than in any other book I can think of, and you will be inspired -- Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm It's no exaggeration to say that Behave is one of the best nonfiction books I've ever read * Wall Street Journal *

Author Information

Robert M. Sapolsky is a professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University and the recipient of a MacArthur Foundation 'Genius Grant'. His previous books includes the international bestseller Behave- The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst, The Trouble with Testosterone, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers and A Primate's Memoir.

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