Who’s in Charge?

The Mind, the Brain, the Self and the Paradox

Everyday life reveals a profound paradox: Individuals see themselves as “unified conscious agents” who freely choose their actions. However, even as they act, they know that they are “biological machines.” The same natural laws that govern mechanical objects, or “artificial machines,” also govern biological organisms, including “human machines.” Thus every person can legitimately wonder whether humans have free will or whether nature presets their actions. This question of predetermination has profound implications for all areas of human endeavor.

The human brain is “a vastly parallel and distributed system.” Each parallel path has countless points engaged in making decisions or integrating information. This process continues around the clock, even when the “you” that you think of as your real self is sleeping. You can’t be in charge of all those operations, since they happen even when you’re unconscious. To learn more about free will and control, neuroscientists are taking a deeper look at the brain.

One Brain, Many Systems

The wallabies on Australia’s Kangaroo Island live an idyllic existence; they have ...