Robert Sapolsky: Guilt is morally obsolete 6/6 [Vert Dider] 2020

If there is no free will, probably the hardest question is: what becomes of our understanding of responsibility and justice? What happens to the notion of guilt? Robert Sapolsky suggests completely rejecting it and changing our judicial system. A controversial point of view, nevertheless, the professor has compelling arguments about why it should be done, despite it not being an easy task.

This is the last, sixth part of a conversation that took place September 12, 2020. The full version of the interview will be uploaded shortly. Previous parts are available on the channel.

[UnchainedMind]

I love Sapolsky's uncompromising integrity with reality. People like him are very few in the world.

[patricksee]

Integrity is morally obsolete? Whatever Robert can get away with us moral. If no one finds out, Robert and everyone else can do what they want! Great Robert, you have cracked it. You and your science have solved age old problems. You are a great moralist of the age. Cheers

[larryfloyd]

"there is no free will, or at least that there is much less free will than generally assumed when it really matters" - Sapolsky

[yoganandavalle]

As a neurobiologist, that's basically my series of talks with my dear hyper religious and intelligent Muslim friend, when I talk with him about how morality radically changes when you get Kluver Bucy syndrome after a brain injury, or how moral behaviour radically changes after this or that part of the brain is damaged, this make him just amazed, but on the whole it doesn't change his world view about moral behaviour in humans.

[maytons]

"Praise is bad"... as the preview image props up Sapolsky as some sort of deity.

[TransferOfAwakening]

From a scientific standpoint, colors do not exist independently, but are instead creations of our own brain. However, given the reality we perceive is filled with colors, it is reasonable and enjoyable to appreciate and present vibrant red roses, pure white pearls, and marvel at the stunning beauty of azure skies, fluffy white clouds, verdant grass, and lush trees.

Indeed, the scientific fact remains that the sun is perpetually shining and does not actually descend. Nevertheless, due to the Earth's rotation, we experience phenomena such as sunsets, sunrises, days, and nights, along with varying intensities of sunlight. Acknowledging and respecting these experiences and living as though sunrises, sunsets, days, and nights are real is a sensible approach.

It is a scientific reality that both iron and oxygen are primarily empty space with a small portion of energy. However, considering their unique properties and the distinct ways we experience them, it makes sense to interact with them differently based on their observable traits.

Scientifically speaking, there is no concrete "I" or self. Yet, to successfully navigate daily life and foster meaningful connections, it seems practical to behave as though there is a definite "I".

In a similar vein, while science tells us there is no actual "free will, " in our present experience, it seems judicious to act as if "free will" does exist to make choices, assume responsibility, and engage with the world.

Comprehending the scientific truths behind these phenomena doesn't diminish the significance of our experiences and perceptions. It is crucial to strike a balance between our scientific understanding and the pragmatic aspects of existing in our perceived reality.

[oldishtim]

Neither the questioner nor Sapolsky mentioned "guilt" in this video.

[davidwilkie]

To be "incompetent" is a basic Sciencing technique to use self-doubt constructively. Highly recommended for any student who has the intellectual ability to hear this..

[JohnWilliams-channel]

What is morally obsolete isn't guilt, it's punishment.

[manoftheworld]

~4:00 - oh, those philosophers! Hegel - partially we had to read him with 4 people stumbling from sentence to sentence, sometimes from word to word/LOL!
And Tony Damasio once said, in Portugal (his home country) you cannot be a neuroscientist unless you (also) study philsophy.
To me this is the reason why I call him the "John Mayall of neuroscience" because in my mind more than persuing his own career he became the mentor of excellent neuroscientists.

[charlottemarceau]

Philosophy seems to be more of the practice of describing problems

[sccr]

I really think Sabolsky would appreciate Utilitarian philosophy. It doesn’t really prescribe morality based on free will or guilt.

[firstnamelastname]

what I really want to know is what that music is in the beginning, I loved it the 2 seconds of it

[benhudson]

after some contemplation, is it the right question, "do we have free will"? or perhaps it should be framed "is will free"? mmmmnnn.

[JohnWilliams-channel]

Free will is a useful construct. And it has underpinnings in chaos theory. Even if physics were completely deterministic (which it isn't as far as we know) there is still all the positive feedback loops that create the conditions for chaos. In a real twist of logic, whether or not you believe in free will determines your behavior, itself being a form of positive feedback loop.

[rambosilek]

Sapolsky is not too sure. No good scientist is too sure. One must always be able to reconsider all their beliefs based on new information. That's how science works.

[edwardlouisbernays]

Robert Sapolsky suggests The Will to Power: An Attempted Transvaluation of All Values (Volume 1, Book 1 and 2) by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1910).
Fredrich Nietzsche - The Anti-Christ

[benhudson]

if a councious practices such as natural bio hacking can alter our autonomic nervious system doesn't that change our biology? are we just wired to be interested in such practices or is their a choice that is beyond just our biology telling us to be interested in such practices? can we make a concious desision to follow or not follow the human biology of entelecy VS entrophy? so many questions! am i just wired to ask such questions?

[robynlouise]

Does the Proffessor still believe that serotonin is part of Depression because an SSRI appears to help.?I can tell you no anti depressant helped me.Those that claim they are better from using SSRIs probaly benefited from an intervention, any intervention will change mood, for a bit.

[小刀-dk]

The person he talked about is probably michael gazzaniga ?