Image - chains, birds, the speaker
San Francisco

George Hammond: How Can We Be Sure We Have Free Will?

In-person TicketsOnline-only Tickets

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Many people are convinced our lives, and all actions in the universe, are totally determined. One question remains: How did they make up their minds that that is true?

One decent definition of the difference between mind and matter is that minds make decisions. Even if you decide to let someone else make all your decisions for you, that itself is a decision. Which you can revoke at will.

Join us at Monday Night Philosophy to remind yourself (in the Platonic sense) that there are indeed many reasons to recover your own agency, to realize that you make decisions all the time that are not determined by—even if they are influenced by—outside forces, and to refresh your awareness of the inner control over your own life that everyone inherently possesses, whether they sense it or not, whether they feel it or not. Because when you have recovered your former certainty that you have free will, you will also understand that one of the most intriguing and ironic uses of our free wills are our always temporary decisions to believe that we don’t have it.

Organizer
George Hammond
Notes

This program has two ticket types: in-person and online-only. Online-only ticket purchasers need to register to receive the link to the live-stream video. 

If you have symptoms of illness (coughing, fever, etc.), we ask that you either stay home or wear a mask. Our front desk has complimentary masks for members and guests who would like one.

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Main photo by Romolo Tavani; Hammond photo courtesy the speaker.

All ticket sales are final and nonrefundable.

Mon, Mar 3 / 6:00 PM PST

The Commonwealth Club of California
110 The Embarcadero
Taube Family Auditorium
San Francisco, CA 94105
United States

Speakers
Image - George Hammond

George Hammond

Author, Conversations With Socrates

Format

5:30 p.m. doors open & check-in
6–7 p.m program
(all times Pacific Time)

COST

Members receive 30–50 percent discounts (not a member? Join)

In-person:
$22 
Free for Leadership Circle members and students 
Online:
$5 members