Benjamin Libet

Benjamin Libet was an American neuroscientist known for his pioneering research on the relationship between consciousness and brain activity. In the 1980s, he conducted experiments demonstrating that brain activity related to decision-making occurs before individuals consciously decide to act, suggesting that our awareness of choices might be an illusion. His findings raised important questions about free will, suggesting that our brains may initiate actions before we consciously realize it. Libet's work has impacted discussions in psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience regarding the nature of human decision-making and the interplay between unconscious processes and conscious thought.