Philosophy / Unit 4 Philosophy 0170 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Neuroscience and the Libet Experiments
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The idea
Libet's experiments found brain readiness activity before participants' reported awareness of deciding—often read as the brain deciding first.
In practice
Participants noted when they felt the urge to flex a wrist; the readiness potential led by a fraction of a second.
Where people slip
The reading is contested—timing reports, the meaning of readiness signals, and trivial wrist-flexes all limit the conclusion.
Your place on the trail
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