#268 - An Evolutionary Journey of Free Will: A Dialogue with Kevin Mitchell

from Converging Dialogues · host Converging Dialogues

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kevin Mitchell about the evolutionary story of free will. They discuss why biology and genetics help understand free will, different levels of determinism, reacting vs. choosing at the cellular level, and choice with ion channels in the cell. They also discuss dimensions of free will, vision and choice, decision making at cortical levels of the brain, creativity, and metacognition. They engage on personality theories, notion of the self, AI and free will, and many more topics. Kevin Mitchell is an Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin. He has his BA in Genetics from Trinity College Dublin and his PhD in Neurobiology from the University of California at Berkeley. His current research focuses on genetics and wiring of the brain specifically as it relates to neuropsychiatric disorders. He is the author of Innate: How the wiring of our brains shapes who we are and his latest book, Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free WillWebsite: https://www.kjmitchell.com/Blog: http://www.wiringthebrain.com/Twitter: @wiringthebrainYou might also like: Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

NOW PLAYING

0:00 2:27:40

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

KunstlerCast 447 — Eric Metaxas on American Revolutions Then and Now

Jul 11, 2026 ·63m

Regenerative Agriculture & Pastoralism in Ireland w/ Future Oak Farms

Jul 6, 2026 ·70m

(Not Those) Village People with Aida Rodriguez - Live!

Jul 2, 2026 ·45m

KunstlerCast_446 — Mel K on the Infiltration and Betrayal of America

Jun 30, 2026 ·65m

Visionary Ventures & The AI-Native Avant-Garde with William Morgan of Restless Egg

Jun 25, 2026 ·63m

The Black Stats Don’t Lie with Dr. Monique Couvson

Jun 25, 2026 ·39m

Similar Podcasts

Thee Mad Cast Bleav The Mad Cast Podcast hosts Influencer Thee Mademoiselle’s greatest online content and features EXCLUSIVE guests and content that dives headfirst into the realm of hard conversations and unapologetic rants. Tune in as Thee Mademoiselle fearlessly tackles controversial topics, challenges societal norms, and engages in thought-provoking dialogues that push boundaries. Prepare to have your perspectives challenged and your opinions questioned. Explicit Self Development Dialogues Self Development Dialogues We’re Joe & Gio, two lifelong friends who have overcome countless challenges and are continuously working towards mastering our mindsets and becoming our best selves. Join us as we share a couple of things we’ve learned along the way that could help you too! Explicit America, Who Hurt You? The Meteor, Foment Productions Our country has always been a hot mess. But now, between political rage, climate crises and social-media polarization, it’s quite literally on fire. This low-key mid-apocalyptic moment has raised a question for Tony-award-winning Sarah Jones and her many characters: America, Who Hurt You?Bookended by the debates, dialogues, and hilarious digressions of the characters made famous by Sarah’s one-person shows and acclaimed film Sell/Buy/Date, this podcast explores our political dramas, personal traumas, and how the two are connected. Plus: we’ll have some of the smartest people we know stop by to sit with Sarah and unpack it all. America, Who Hurt You? holds up a loving but accurate mirror to our country’s range of faces as we try to save democracy—or at least stop doom-scrolling. Explicit Humans On The Loop Michael Garfield Let's dream better! Join paleontologist-futurist Michael Garfield for bold, far-ranging explorations into the nature of agency in the age of automation, wisdom and innovation, responsibility and power, and the care and feeding of the new superpowers conferred to us by magical technologies. Weekly dialogues at the edge of the knowable, learning to navigate Global Weirding and exponential AI with the curiosity and play required of us. Building on twenty years of independent research plus firsthand experience of the tech, arts, and science worlds, Humans On The Loop is a show to transform you and help us make better use of our greatest natural resource: our attention. michaelgarfield.substack.com Explicit

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Converging Dialogues?

This episode is 2 hours and 27 minutes long.

When was this Converging Dialogues episode published?

This episode was published on October 9, 2023.

What is this episode about?

Can I download this Converging Dialogues episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.

URL copied to clipboard!