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The sense of conscious will

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2005

Gene M. Heyman*
Affiliation:
Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory and Psychiatry, McLean Hospital; Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA02478

Abstract:

Wegner's conclusion that conscious will is an illusion follows from a key omission in his analysis. Although he describes conscious will as an experience, akin to one of the senses, he omits its objective correlate. The degree to which behavior can be influenced by its consequences (voluntariness) provides an objective correlate for conscious will. With conscious will anchored to voluntariness, the illusion disappears.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2004

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