The Science of Freedom

So how can we know if human beings really have free will?

The question of whether or not we have free will (libertarianism) has accompanied us since the beginning of philosophy and history. In recent years, the issue has started to move from philosophy into the field of science, especially neuroscience. This book shows that scientific findings do not decisively demonstrate the correctness of any answer, and that the question is still a philosophical one. It begins by defining the relevant terms, primarily free will and determinism, showing that incautious definitions lead to quite a few errors in the discussion of these issues.
For answers, check with philosophers and thinkers!

Examining the issue of free will from various angles, in clear, accessible language for the educated reader, it offers a consistent and systematic basis for a libertarian approach that is in accordance with scientific findings, showing that it arises naturally from considerations of common sense and various philosophical aspects.

From the Author:
I arrived at writing this book after encountering the strident statements of philosophers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and primarily neuroscientists, according to whom modern science necessarily leads us to determinism. To the best of my judgment, this conclusion seriously harms humanism and man's self-conception, including for me as a believer in God. Unfortunately, many people in the field and the broader audience do not share my feelings, and therefore accept it with a disquieting equanimity. It is important for me to note that I am myself, a man of science and a physicist, who believes completely in the importance and validity of good science. The book does not attack science; on the contrary, it explains science and uses it carefully and clearly. Precisely because of my commitment to science, I am worried about baseless statements by professionals who often deviate from their area of expertise (usually without noticing).
The main problem in these discussions is the multi-disciplinary approach required of them. Scientists lack philosophical skills and knowledge, and philosophers lack scientific skills and knowledge, and the result is that this important issue falls between the disciplinary cracks. Beyond this, I felt that the subject was not receiving the appropriate treatment as we expect for such important questions about the foundations of our existence, and I particularly took note that the libertarian position was not really being defended against these attacks.
The book is meant to clarify, both for specialists in the field and educated readers interested in this subject, that our initial intuitions about free will are entirely reasonable, and there is no reason to give them up in light of the findings of science. It is important for me to clarify to the reader that he should not shy away from scientific and philosophical authorities. These questions are not easy, but they are ultimately accessible to any thinking person. Moreover, as I show in the book, people who excel in their own field often err on these matters, sometimes in embarrassing ways.

Doctor Michael Abraham has written thirty non-fiction books and hundreds of articles in fields such as physics, logic, philosophy, popular science, and various areas of Judaism, e.g. halacha (Jewish rabbinic law) and its logic and methodology, and more – some of them bestsellers in Israel. He is an electronics engineer with a PhD in theoretical physics, has worked as a physics researcher at the Weizmann Institute, and has lectured and written books in the field of philosophy.
Abraham taught at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, has served as a guest lecturer at the Hebrew University’s Faculty of Law, and now teaches at Bar Ilan University. He is a sought after lecturer, participating in various forums on issues such as free will, law, popular science, halacha, Torah and halacha-related subjects. He is one of the founders of the new, developing field of talmudic logic and has published (along with colleagues) an important series of books on this subject.
Abraham has won a number of prizes, including the Payis Landau Award for Excellence for his physics doctorate, the Education Minister's Prize for Jewish Culture, and others.