Flies and Free Will

After a bit more internet perusing, I uncovered an article relating to the subject of free will. (Link) It has the engaging title of “Do Flies Have Free Will?”. The article is a bit flawed. I think oftentimes scientists are asked questions which are not scientific and then their answers are taken as authoritative. Take for example the statement from this article:

‘As neuroscientists Michael Gazzaniga of Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and Megan Steven of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boson have pointed out, we act in a social context. “Responsibility is a social construct and exists in the rules of society,” they say. “It does not exist in the neuronal structures of the brain.”’

Is responsibility purely a social construct? Couldn’t there be some personal, psychological element involved? I don’t know.

That doesn’t detract from fact that this article, and many scientists with it, ignores the hard work that the humanities and especially philosophy does to elucidate issues as sticky but important as free will. This is evinced by the ending paragraph of this article:

‘Free will is a concept for poets and novelists, and, if it keeps them happy, for philosophers and moralists. In science and politics, it deserves no place.’

For those interested in further reading, here is the link to the journal article being discussed.