May 2, 2013
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Jerry Coyne is right about the harms done by dualistic free will.
Where he’s wrong, however, is the idea that fatalism is somehow better. A fatalistic society is a society of the Twinkie Defense, where “my brain made me do it” becomes a fully general excuse for any activity (until someone realizes that “any activity” includes, say, imprisoning people).
Compatibilism–or as Eliezer Yudkowsky likes to call it, requiredism–is the only valid answer. It has always been the only valid answer. It is obviously the only valid answer, and anyone who thinks deeply about the issue should come to this realization. THAT is why philosophers keep writing about compatibilism. Because it’s RIGHT.
