Free Will and Moral Responsibility in a Material World

The Freethought Society (FS) is pleased to host an in-person meeting featuring Dr. Julien Musolino on Thursday, May 29, 2025 at 7:00 PM.

The event will take place at the Ludington Library located at 5 South Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

Musolino’s speech is entitled “Free Will and Moral Responsibility in a Material World.” This presentation is free and open to the public.

The problem of free will has vexed philosophers for millennia, with profound implications for morality, law, politics, religion, and our sense of personal identity. Yet, despite the importance of free will, no consensus exists, with debates raging over its definition and existence. In this presentation, Musolino will argue that much of this impasse stems from sterile semantic arguments that cannot be resolved objectively. Critically, these disputes mask a central problem of fundamental importance grounded in our best scientific understanding. Addressing this problem rationally offers a path toward a more just and compassionate world.

Musolino is a Franco-American cognitive scientist, public speaker, author, and award-winning teacher, who holds a dual appointment as a full professor in the Psychology Department and the Center for Cognitive Science at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Musolino’s research on the human mind has been published in leading international journals. His work explores the implications of cognitive science for a range of issues of broader societal importance.

Musolino has appeared on national television, and has participated in public debates. His work has been discussed in popular magazines, and he has been a guest on many radio and podcast programs in the United States and abroad.