Doing without Free Will

Doing without Free Will: Spinoza and Contemporary Moral Problems, 1st Edition, is an academic anthology that introduces Baruch Spinoza's philosophy into modern discussions of free will and ethics.

Traditional Western moral philosophy often presumes an undetermined human capacity for choice, a view increasingly challenged by findings in neuroscience. The essays in this volume assess how moral philosophy functions without that premise, examining Spinoza's grounds for moral responsibility and his response to the problem of akrasia.

The volume connects Spinoza's framework to contemporary Anglo-American philosophical inquiry, showing how moral values develop naturally within society and explaining Spinoza's alternative concept of human freedom.