Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, Vol 12(2), Jun 2025, 206-224; doi:10.1037/cns0000375
After briefly reviewing the primary approaches to determinism and free will as well as their associated challenges, the article first engages in a philosophical discussion of the constraints associated with natural laws and causation. Essentially, the argument is that nature constrains action but does not entirely determine it. The article then provides a redefinition of determinism, suggesting a heuristic model termed the principle of triarchic resonance. According to the model, each human action is caused by a dynamic interaction of three components, called the individual, the task, and the culture. The dynamic relationship unfolds in time and is illustrated in terms of three different aspects of temporal development: the microgenetic aspect of task demands, the ontogenetic aspect of the individual, and the culture-genetic aspect of social tradition. Using this model, it is argued to leave “leeway” for free will and for a person to influence their environment. The respective temporal processes cover different time periods. Their investigations require both third-person (“objective”) and first-person (“subjective”) perspectives. It is argued that in the so-called Libet paradigm, these two perspectives are confounded in an inadmissible way and therefore cannot lead to strong conclusions regarding the nonexistence of free will. The article discusses the need for developing complementary approaches that take into account both first- and third-person perspectives. Finally, the article draws conclusions regarding the possibility of free will. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)