New evidence calls into question the concept of free will

 The existence of free will is one of the most controversial topics in the field of neuroscience. Although debates on this topic have raged for centuries, electroencephalography (EEG) experiments conducted by Benjamin Libet in the 1970s and 1980s laid the foundation for modern research in this field. Libet found that the human brain emits EEG activity that antecedents the conscious feeling of intention to make a decision. Such results would suggest that our actions are predetermined by brain processes that occur before our conscious decision.

However, recent research by a team of neuroscientists from the Russian Higher School of Economics brings new insight into these findings. In their paper published in the journal Neuropsychologia, the researchers questioned the accuracy of Libet's findings regarding the moment of awareness of intention. Researchers pointed out that experimental procedures may influence how subjects interpret their intentions and decisions. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0028393223001045?via%3Dihub)

To test this claim, a team from the University of Economics repeated Libet's experiment, introducing minor modifications to the methodology. During the study, respondents were asked about the moment when they were aware of their intention to make a decision. By using modern EEG techniques and accurate behavioral reports, researchers were able to identify correlations between brain activity and conscious intention.

The surprising results suggest that there is a complex interplay between experimental procedures and how participants interpret their intentions. In fact, the researchers concluded that Libet's experimental procedures may have influenced participants to believe that their intentions were formed earlier than they actually were.

These findings have broad implications for our understanding of free will. They point to the need to re-evaluate existing research and methodologies in neuroscience and highlight how easy it is to influence people's perceptions of their own intentions.

Although research on free will will still be controversial, the results conducted by a team from the University of Economics bring a new perspective on this issue. They indicate that our actions are not only the result of physiological brain processes but are also shaped by the context in which we act. This new perspective may lead to further research that will help us better understand the nature of human choice and decision.