Behavioral and Brain Sciences

Table of Contents - 2004 - Volume 27, Issue 05  

Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2004), 27:5:663-664 Cambridge University Press
Copyright © 2005 Cambridge University Press
doi:10.1017/S0140525X04270157

Short Communication

The sense of conscious will

Gene M. Heyman a1
a1 Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory and Psychiatry, McLean Hospital; Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA 02478 gmheyman@mclean.harvard.edu

Abstract

Wegner's conclusion that conscious will is an illusion follows from a key omission in his analysis. Although he describes conscious will as an experience, akin to one of the senses, he omits its objective correlate. The degree to which behavior can be influenced by its consequences (voluntariness) provides an objective correlate for conscious will. With conscious will anchored to voluntariness, the illusion disappears.