Self And The Phenomenon Of Life: A Biologist Examines Life From Molecules To Humanity

Self and Free Will 247

“9x6” b2726 Self and the Phenomenon of Life: A Biologist Examines Life from Molecules to Humanity

studied the behavior of individual ants and observed that they demon-
strate teaching and decision-making, even quick decisions in times of
crisis.^16 Fruit flies also behave in a spontaneous, individually distinct
manner. Humans, to be sure, enjoy individual freedom and delibera-
tion, as we intuitively know. But when observed en masse, humans may
appear not much different from a colony of bees or ants (Fig. 11.1).
I like to accord lower animals some sort of free will, as they also
have goals to attain, the main difference being that their goals are not as
long-range and complex as ours.

11.8 Neurophysiological Basis of Volitional Acts

As shown in Figures 11.2 and 11.3, decision-making comes in several
stages and involves multiple factors. Once a decision is made in the pre-
frontal cortex, a chain of command is transmitted sequentially to the
supplementary motor area (SMA), the premotor area, and the primary
motor area. From the latter the descending nerve impulse is transmit-
ted to the musculoskeletal system to initiate a volitional act. (The corre-
sponding brain areas are shown in Fig. 11.4.) The resulting movement

Fig. 11.1. Aerial view of Coney Island Amusement Park (New York) on a Sunday
afternoon, showing humans dispersed on the beach, an outcome of the attractive forces
from such desirable stimulants as food, sex and entertainment, and the repulsive force to
maintain minimal body distance. A scene like this can easily be compared to a swarm of
ants. [Courtesy Rockefeller Univ. Press.]