Born Free? You Sure? Jewish and Scientific Perspectives on Determinism and Free Will with Rav Yosef and Dr. Uri Maoz, Assistant Professor, Member of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Brain and Behavioral Sciences, Chapman University.

A BDJ / "Scientists in Synagogues" Program

It certainly feels like we have free will, and our practice of Judaism would make no sense without it. Yet the idea that we fully control our own choices is difficult to reconcile with the perspective of both Jewish theology and contemporary scientific research. Are we free to make up our own mind if God, in his omniscience, already knows what choice we will make? And if our thoughts and actions are shaped by our biology, our genetics, and our experiences is it merely an illusion that our actions are not predetermined? In this Scientists in Synagogues program, we will contrast these religious and scientific perspectives on our concept of free will as we begin to prepare for Rosh Hashanah 5785.