To the Editor:
Two thoughts regarding the column by Herald Opinions Editor Michal Zapendowski '07 ("I had no choice but to write this column," March 9).
First, Zapendowski cites Libet's 1980s experiments and claims "Libet was able to tell what they were going to do before they themselves knew" and that this implication is "tremendous." This seems like a stretch to me. Libet was able to tell what they were going to do before one part of the mind knew it (the conscious part), but he wasn't able predict the actions of the subconscious mind. Another possible conclusion is that the choices we make may originate in our subconscious, but they are still choices that we (our minds) make.
Second, Zapendowski spends some time discussing how monotheistic faiths deny the existence of free will: "For if God knows everything, clearly he must know our future actions, therefore clearly our choices have already been made - even if only in God's mind." This may be true, but in order for Zapendowski to use a statement like this in an argument against free will, he would have to first show that there exists a god and that such a god is omniscient. He does neither, and so he can make no conclusion regarding the existence of free will based on the beliefs of monotheistic faiths.
Andrew Chin '08March 12
