Accepting free will doesn’t exist could make us less hateful and ashamed

Per The Conversation, researchers at the University of Melbourne found that people who read arguments against free will became more forgiving—both of themselves and of others who'd wronged them. A survey of nearly nine thousand people across forty-four countries supported this finding. Importantly, accepting that free will might be an illusion didn't erode people's sense of responsibility or accountability. The research contradicts earlier warnings that undermining free will belief leads to moral chaos, instead suggesting it softens the emotional judgment we place on ourselves and others.

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