Do we carry no responsibility for our actions? | Massimo Pigliucci, Galen Strawson, Sarah Garfinkel

Is moral responsibility a mere illusion? Massimo Pigliucci, Galen Strawson and Sarah Garfinkel debate the essence of innocence and guilt.

Some argue behaviour is a product of our genes. Others that upbringing and environment play the primary role in determining who we are. So do we carry no responsibility for our actions? Courts have on occasion made judgments in this light. In 2006 Bradley Waldroup was acquitted of murder because he was found to have an unusual variant of a 'warrior gene' and to have been abused as a child.

Is responsibility for our actions an illusion? And should we as a result abandon moral responsibility to build a fairer world? Or is the notion that our actions are determined by our genes, our upbringing or some combination a dangerous mistake? Many want to have it both ways: we are the outcome of our genes and upbringing but also responsible for our actions, but how is this possible?

#InnocenceAndGuilt #Irresponsibility #DeterministicModel

Eminent philosopher and literary critic Galen Strawson, stoic philosopher Massimo Pigliucci, and neuroscientist Sarah Garfinkel debate the essence of innocence and guilt. Hosted by novelist Joanna Kavenna.

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[vids]

There is mapping between genetics and behavior if GIVEN ENVIRONMENT. And we chose neither our genetics nor our environment.

[brothermine]

”Responsibility” is just a philosophical notion (assuming there's no true free will). The important question is whether society should impose consequences for anti-social behaviors. The answer is Yes, to deter such behaviors.

[crescentsi]

Is illusion a responsibility? If we didn't play with other's perceptions (and our own) how would anything be possible?

[vids]

We must simply reconcile the common notion of responsibility with what we know about physics. This should lead to increase empathy and compassion.

[vids]

Sam Harris covered this quite well in his book "Free Will".

[theelectricorigins]

So the first guy says: "if we make something <<wrong>> we must fix the machinery (the brain) in order not do that again" And who is gonna decide what is right or wrong
He might think there is some sort "Absolute Truth" (tautologies apart) which eventually became the "Good". Then everyone not agreeing that "Truth" is "EVIL" and he intends to destroy
What a violence!

[AbdullahMikalRodriguez]

This is what it looks like when scientific materialists try to speak about morality and ethics... so misguided

[janklaas]

©️9:25 and hitler sertainly was a malignant tumor.

[GradyPhilpott]

Sarah is the only one who's capable of speaking in a coherent fashion, but she barely has an opportunity to speak, because of all the blathering by the two bookends on the stage.