We have free will. We make our own deciÂsions. We have long takÂen these basic assumpÂtions for grantÂed. But what does neuÂroÂscience make of this? In this excerpt from the BBC HoriÂzon speÂcial, “The Secret You,” MarÂcus Du Sautoy (Oxford UniÂverÂsiÂty) parÂticÂiÂpates in a brain imagÂing experÂiÂment conÂductÂed by John-Dylan Haynes, a neuÂroÂsciÂenÂtist based in Berlin. And the results? Well, they force us to rethink things a bit. GoodÂbye Descartes. GoodÂbye mind before matÂter. GoodÂbye to conÂsciousÂness and free will, as we traÂdiÂtionÂalÂly like to think about them. And welÂcome to the world of neuÂrons, to brain activÂiÂty that makes your deciÂsions before your conÂscious self is even aware of them. To delve deepÂer into all of this, you can watch Haynes give a 90 minute lecÂture here called “UnconÂscious deterÂmiÂnants of free deciÂsions in the human brain.”

