Emilie Caspar: Just Following Orders: The Brain Science of Obedience, and Obedience to Authority

Emilie Caspar is an associate professor at Ghent University and leader of the Moral and Social Brain Lab. Her book Just Following Orders: Atrocities and the Brain Science of Obedience examines obedience, responsibility, and harm under authority. This conversation discusses neuroscience, perpetrator behavior, rescuer behavior, and the phenomenon of obedience to authority.Not to Forgive, but to Understand, hosted by Sabah Carrim, examines genocide and mass atrocity through discussions with scholars, journalists, artists, and other stakeholders.00:00 Opening01:43 Introduction02:08 Why neuroscience in genocide studies?04:01 “Just following orders” and obedience to authority08:45 Neuroscience, psychology, and legal defenses13:52 Responsibility, explanation, and excuse17:17 Awareness as prevention19:51 How neuroscience research is conducted22:34 Portable EEG and field research in Rwanda28:44 Neurohype and public misunderstanding31:49 Caspar’s next book and research on rescuers34:42 What neuroscience adds to genocide studies38:11 Neuroscience evidence in court42:16 Skepticism toward neuroscience explanations44:47 Phineas Gage and causality46:25 Understanding as prevention50:47 Milgram, resistance, and rescuers52:56 Research access and current political violence55:14 Closing