All language subtitles for The.Brain.with.David.Eagleman.S01E03.Who.Is.in.Control.720p.

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DAVID EAGLEMAN: WHO'S IN CONTROL
OF WHAT YOU DO?

THIS SOUNDS LIKE
A SIMPLE QUESTION,

BUT THE FACTS
MIGHT SURPRISE YOU.

ALMOST EVERY ACTION
THAT YOU TAKE

AND EVERY DECISION THAT YOU MAKE
AND EVERY BELIEF THAT YOU HOLD,

THESE ARE DRIVEN BY
PARTS OF YOUR BRAIN

THAT YOU HAVE NO ACCESS TO.

WE CALL THIS HIDDEN WORLD
THE UNCONSCIOUS.

AND IT RUNS MUCH MORE
OF YOUR LIFE

THAN YOU WOULD EVER IMAGINE.

IN THIS FILM,
I'M GOING TO INVESTIGATE

THE WEIRD WAYS OUR BRAIN
SECRETLY CONTROLS

EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

THAT WAS AMAZING!

EAGLEMAN: HOW WITHOUT OUR
AWARENESS, THE BRAIN CONTROLS

THE COMPLEX MACHINERY
OF THE BODY.

AND MAKES DECISIONS
WITHOUT OUR AWARENESS.

THIS IS THE STORY OF EVERYTHING
THE BRAIN DOES

THAT REMAINS HIDDEN FROM US.

IT IS THE STORY OF WHO'S
REALLY IN CONTROL.

IT'S THE FIRST THING
IN THE MORNING

AND THE STREETS HERE ARE
ALMOST COMPLETELY SILENT.

BUT ALL AROUND ME, ONE OF
THE MOST REMARKABLE EVENTS

IN THE UNIVERSE
IS TAKING PLACE.

IN ALL OF THESE HOUSES,
ONE BY ONE,

HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS
IS FLICKERING TO LIFE.

ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX OBJECTS
IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE

IS BECOMING AWARE
THAT IT EXISTS.

THIS IS THE BIRTH OF YOU--

AND THIS LITTLE MIRACLE
HAPPENS EVERY DAY.

WAKING UP IS THE MOMENT WHEN

OUR CONSCIOUS BRAINS
COME ONLINE.

BUT IT'S ALSO THE BEGINNING
OF A GREAT DECEPTION.

IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE IN CHARGE

OF ALL THE DECISIONS
YOU'RE ABOUT TO MAKE.

LIKE YOU ARE RUNNING THE SHOW.

BUT IT'S NOT QUITE THAT SIMPLE.

TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT
WHAT IT IS TO BE CONSCIOUS.

TO BE AWARE OF
THE WORLD AROUND YOU.

THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE
GOING TO HAVE FOR BREAKFAST.

OR WHAT YOU'RE
GOING TO DO NEXT.

WHEN YOU'RE CONSCIOUSLY AWARE,
IT FEELS LIKE THAT'S ALL THAT'S

REALLY GOING ON
INSIDE YOUR HEAD.

BUT HERE'S THE SURPRISE--
ALL OF THAT CONSCIOUS YOU

MAKES UP THE SMALLEST BIT
OF THE ACTIVITY IN YOUR BRAIN.

THE CONSCIOUS YOU THINKS IT'S

THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP,
BUT IN TRUTH,

IT'S NOTHING MORE
THAN A STOWAWAY.

SO WHAT IS ALL THIS HIDDEN
ACTIVITY INSIDE OUR HEADS?

A LARGE PART OF IT
IS DEDICATED TO SOMETHING

THAT MOST OF US
TAKE FOR GRANTED...

OPERATING THE BODY.

MOST OF THE ACTIONS WE MAKE,

EVEN THOSE THAT
SEEM INTENTIONAL,

ARE AUTOMATIC AND UNCONSCIOUS.

WE CAN SEE THIS VERY CLEARLY
IN A SITUATION

THAT DEMANDS A FAST RESPONSE.

I'M ABOUT TO FACE
A FASTBALL FROM MATT

OVER THERE ON THE MOUND.

IN ORDER FOR ME
TO HIT THE BALL,

THERE'S A VERY COMPLEX
SERIES OF PROCESSES

THAT HAS TO HAPPEN IN MY BRAIN.

HE PITCHES AT 92 MILES AN HOUR,

SO THAT DOESN'T GIVE ME VERY
MUCH TIME TO HIT THE BALL.

OK--READY!

THE BALL LEAVES THE MOUND

AND STARTS ON ITS WAY
TO THE HOME PLATE.

THIS JOURNEY OF 60 FEET,
6 INCHES WILL TAKE PLACE

IN AROUND 4/10 OF A SECOND...

AND IN THAT TIME, THERE IS A
HUGE AMOUNT FOR MY BRAIN TO DO.

THE LIGHT FROM THE BASEBALL
NEEDS TO HIT MY EYE...

WORK THROUGH THE MANY MILES
OF CIRCUITRY IN MY BRAIN...

AND SEND SIGNALS TO MY MUSCLES
TO SWING THE BAT.

THIS ENTIRE SEQUENCE UNFOLDS
IN JUST A FRACTION OF A SECOND.

BUT HERE'S THE SURPRISE.

MY CONSCIOUS AWARENESS
HASN'T YET HAD TIME

TO REGISTER WHAT'S GOING ON.

I STRIKE THE BALL
WITHOUT THINKING

AND ONLY BECOME AWARE OF WHAT'S
HAPPENED AFTER THE EVENT.

BY THE TIME THE CONSCIOUS MIND
GETS THE INFORMATION,

IT'S ALREADY OLD NEWS.

AND THIS IS BECAUSE THE BALL
SIMPLY TRAVELS TOO FAST FOR ME

TO BE CONSCIOUSLY AWARE
OF ITS POSITION.

AND THIS IS NOT JUST
TRUE OF BASEBALL

BUT IN ALL AREAS OF OUR LIFE.

EVERY DAY BEHIND THE SCENES,

THE UNCONSCIOUS PARTS OF OUR
BRAIN ARE HARD AT WORK

HELPING US TO ACCOMPLISH
EVEN THE MOST BASIC OF TASKS.

TAKE DRINKING A COFFEE.

IT SEEMS INCREDIBLY SIMPLE,
BUT UNDER THE HOOD,

OUR BRAINS MUST UNCONSCIOUSLY
COORDINATE AND MAKE SENSE OF

TRILLIONS OF
ELECTRICAL IMPULSES.

AS I TOUCH THE CUP,
MY NERVES TRANSMIT

REAMS OF INFORMATION
TO THE BRAIN

AND THAT HELPS ME TO
ESTIMATE ITS WEIGHT,

ITS POSITION IN SPACE,
AND ITS TEMPERATURE.

MY ABILITY TO CONTROL THE CUP
RELIES ON ELECTRICAL IMPULSES

GOING BACK AND FORTH,
FROM MY HANDS AND MUSCLES

TO MY BRAIN AND BACK AGAIN.

MANY OF THESE SIGNALS WILL BE
SORTED AND PROCESSED

IN THE CEREBELLUM.

HERE, SPECIALIZED NEURONS WITH
UP TO 200,000 CONNECTIONS EACH

HELP CALCULATE THE MILLIONS OF
MICRO-ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED

TO ACHIEVE THE SMOOTH
MOVEMENT OF THE BODY.

AND YET ALL OF THIS REMAINS
COMPLETELY HIDDEN FROM ME.

I SIMPLY ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE
OF DRINKING MY COFFEE.

EVERY DAY AS WE MOVE,
HIDDEN FROM VIEW,

OUR BRAINS
UNCONSCIOUSLY PROCESS

TRILLIONS UPON TRILLIONS
OF CALCULATIONS.

THIS UNCONSCIOUS PROCESSING
IS WHAT ALLOWS US TO MOVE WITH

EFFORTLESS GRACE
THROUGH THE WORLD.

IT'S A FEAT SO REMARKABLE THAT
WE HAVE YET TO BUILD A MACHINE

THAT COMES ANYWHERE
CLOSE TO IT.

IN FACT, WE'VE ONLY JUST
BEGUN TO DISCOVER THE TECHNIQUES

THAT THE BRAIN USES TO MAKE
ITS MANY CALCULATIONS.

THERE'S SO MUCH THAT OUR BRAIN
DOES THAT'S HIDDEN FROM US

WE OFTEN TAKE FOR GRANTED
WHAT'S GOING ON UP THERE.

BUT WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE IF
SOME OF THESE UNCONSCIOUS SKILLS

WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM US?

MAN: IT ALWAYS
AMAZES ME THAT, YOU KNOW,

YOU SIT ON A BENCH SOMEWHERE
JUST WATCH PEOPLE WALKING BY

AND YOU SORT OF THINK
YOU'RE DOING THAT

SO FLUIDLY AND SO SEAMLESSLY,
TOTALLY UNAWARE OF THIS

AMAZING SYSTEM THAT'S MANAGING
THAT PROCESS FOR YOU.

EAGLEMAN: AT THE AGE OF 19,
IAN WATERMAN SUFFERED

A RARE TYPE OF NERVE DAMAGE.

NOW EVERY TINY
DETAIL OF MOVEMENT

REQUIRES INTENSE
CONSCIOUS EFFORT.

WATERMAN: I LOST THE ABILITY TO
MANAGE MY BODY AUTOMATICALLY.

THAT SYSTEM THAT WORKS, IN HERE,
SOMEWHERE THAT WE DEVELOP

AS WE STAND AND TUMBLE
AND FALL AS A BABY, ERR,

AND WE DEVELOP
AS WE GROW--GONE.

EAGLEMAN: FOR MOST PEOPLE,
THIS CONDITION PREVENTS

ANY KIND OF
COORDINATED MOVEMENT.

BUT OVER TIME,
IAN HAS LEARNED

TO TREAT HIS BODY LIKE
A COMPLEX PUPPET.

IAN HAS SPENT YEARS
ANALYZING MOVEMENT

AND WORKING OUT HOW TO PERFORM
EACH TINY FLEX AND BEND

THAT THE HUMAN BODY CAN MAKE.

MUSTERING AN INCREDIBLE
MENTAL FOCUS, IAN IS NOW ABLE

TO PUT THESE ALL TOGETHER...
TO MAKE HIMSELF WALK.

FOR IAN, WALKING IS
A MONUMENTAL TRIUMPH

OF SKILL, DEDICATION,
AND CONCENTRATION.

WATERMAN: IT'S
AN AMAZING LOSS AND IT'S

A SIGNIFICANT COGNITIVE EFFORT
TO REPLACE

WHAT COMES AUTOMATICALLY
WITHIN US.

IT'S AN ASTOUNDING FACILITY THAT
THE BODY HAS TO MANAGE ITSELF.

YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS
UNTIL IT GOES.

EAGLEMAN: NEXT TIME
YOU SEE A PERSON MOVING,

TAKE A MOMENT TO MARVEL NOT JUST
AT THE BEAUTY OF THE HUMAN BODY

BUT AT THE POWER OF
THE UNCONSCIOUS BRAIN

THAT'S ORCHESTRATING IT.

OUR UNCONSCIOUS BRAIN IS CAPABLE
OF SOME TRULY REMARKABLE FEATS.

BUT WHY IS SO MUCH OF
WHAT WE DO BURIED OUT OF REACH?

TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION,
WE CAN TAKE A PEEK

INTO THE MIND OF A CHAMPION.

THIS IS AUSTIN NABER.

HE HAS SET WORLD RECORDS
FOR CUP STACKING.

NOTHING YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE
HAS BEEN SPED UP IN ANY WAY.

EAGLEMAN: AUSTIN,
THAT WAS TERRIFIC.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN
PRACTICING THIS?

UM, TWO YEARS
AND 10 MONTHS.

AND HOW--DO YOU
PRACTICE EVERY DAY?

YEP.

HOW MANY HOURS?

UM, AT LEAST 3 OR 4.

AND WHEN YOU FIRST
STARTED THIS,

HOW FAST
COULD YOU DO IT?

UM, 2 MINUTES,
2.5 MINUTES.

TO DO THE SAME ROUTINE
YOU WERE JUST DOING?

YES, A CYCLE.

OK, AND HOW QUICKLY
CAN YOU DO IT NOW?

5 SECONDS.
5 SECONDS?

WOW, THAT'S QUITE
AN IMPROVEMENT.

SO WHEN YOU'RE
DOING THAT, ARE YOU
THINKING ABOUT

WHAT YOU'RE DOING?

NOT REALLY.

YOU'RE JUST LETTING
YOUR HANDS DO THE WORK?

MM-HMM.

EAGLEMAN: WATCHING AUSTIN
STACK CUPS, YOU MIGHT EXPECT

THAT HIS BRAIN IS
WORKING OVERTIME.

HAVING TO COORDINATE THESE
COMPLEX ACTIONS SO QUICKLY,

IT SEEMS LIKE HIS BRAIN MUST BE
BURNING A LOT OF EXTRA ENERGY.

THAT WAS AMAZING!

EAGLEMAN: BUT THE REAL STORY
IS NOT QUITE THAT SIMPLE.

TO GAIN A BETTER INSIGHT
INTO WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE,

WE HAVE TO PEEK
INSIDE THE BRAIN.

EAGLEMAN: AUSTIN, HOW'S
THE CAP FEEL ON YOU?

GOOD.

EAGLEMAN: THE SKULLCAPS WE'RE
BEING FITTED WITH ARE DEVICES

FOR MEASURING
ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY, OR EEG.

THEY READ ELECTRICAL SIGNALS
FROM THE SCALP TO REVEAL CLUES

ABOUT THE ACTIVITY
GOING ON INSIDE THE BRAIN.

CONDUCTIVE GEL IS
INJECTED AT VARIOUS POINTS

TO HELP BOOST THE SIGNAL.

EAGLEMAN: SO ALL
THE LIGHTS ON YOUR HEAD

ARE TURNING GREEN,
WHICH IS GOOD.

THERE'S A GOOD
CONNECTION THERE.

EAGLEMAN: WITH BOTH OF US
RIGGED UP, WE NOW HAVE A WINDOW

INTO THE ELECTRICAL WORLD
WITHIN OUR BRAINS.

EAGLEMAN: SO NOW
WE'RE GOING TO RACE.

EAGLEMAN: AND WE CAN SEE
HOW MUCH EFFORT IT TAKES

OUR BRAINS TO CUPSTACK.

YOU READY?
MM-HMM.

MAN: SET...GO!

EAGLEMAN: LOOKING AT THE EEG,
WE CAN SEE THAT

MY BRAIN IS WORKING FULL TILT.

MY CONSCIOUS MIND IS ACTIVELY
SEARCHING FOR WAYS

TO BEST PERFORM THIS TASK AND
FIGURING OUT WHAT TO DO NEXT.

IT MEANS THERE'S A LOT
OF ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY

HAPPENING IN MY BRAIN AND
A LOT OF ENERGY BEING EXPENDED.

IN CONTRAST, AUSTIN'S
BRAIN IS SERENE.

DESPITE THE SPEED AND COMPLEXITY
OF WHAT HE IS DOING,

HIS BRAIN IS IN
AN ALMOST REST-LIKE STATE.

RIGHT THERE
BEHIND YOU.

EAGLEMAN: SO HOW IS
HE ABLE TO DO THIS?

AUSTIN'S TALENT IS A RESULT OF
PHYSICAL CHANGES IN HIS BRAIN.

DURING HIS YEARS OF PRACTICE, A
SPECIALIZED SET OF CONNECTIONS

HAS BEEN FORMED.

HE HAS CARVED THE SKILL
OF CUP STACKING

INTO THE STRUCTURE
OF HIS NEURONS.

THIS ALLOWS AUSTIN'S BRAIN
TO PERFORM THIS TASK

RAPIDLY AND EFFICIENTLY.

AS WE LEARN NEW SKILLS,
THEY CHANGE

THE STRUCTURE OF OUR BRAINS.

THEY MOVE FROM SOFTWARE
TO BECOME PART OF

THE HARDWARE OF THE MIND.

IT MEANS AUSTIN CAN EVEN
DO THIS...BLINDFOLDED.

WHEN WE PRACTICE NEW SKILLS,
WE PHYSICALLY HARDWIRE THEM.

SOME PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THIS
AS MUSCLE MEMORY--

BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING
TO DO WITH OUR MUSCLES.

ALL THE CHANGES
ARE ORCHESTRATED

ACROSS THE VAST SEAS
OF OUR BRAIN.

IT'S NOT JUST
ABOUT CUP STACKING--

AS WE DEVELOP FROM CHILDHOOD,
WE ALL BEGIN TO ACQUIRE

THESE BURNT-IN CIRCUITS.

EVERYTHING FROM WALKING...
TO TYING LACES...

TYPING...TO RIDING A BIKE.

ALL THESE ARE SKILLS
THAT GET HARDWIRED

INTO THE STRUCTURE
OF OUR BRAINS,

MAKING THEM AUTOMATIC
AND ENERGY EFFICIENT.

DESPITE THE VAST AMOUNT
OF INFORMATION IT PROCESSES,

THE HUMAN BRAIN REQUIRES
ONLY AS MUCH ENERGY

AS A 60-WATT LIGHT BULB.

BUT THERE'S A CONSEQUENCE
TO HARDWIRING.

THESE SKILLS BECOME
HIDDEN FROM US.

THEY BECOME UNCONSCIOUS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW
I'M RIDING THIS BIKE,

THE SMALL CORRECTIONS
OF THE HANDLE BARS,

THE MICRO-CORRECTIONS
OF MY BALANCE.

AND THIS IS THE SAME WITH
ALL NEW SKILLS THAT WE LEARN,

WHETHER IT'S CYCLING
OR READING OR TYPING

OR DRIVING A CAR
OR PLAYING THE PIANO.

WE LOSE ACCESS TO THE
SOPHISTICATED PROGRAMS

THAT WE'RE RUNNING.

AND THIS CAN
CAUSE SOME ODD EFFECTS

FOR OUR CONSCIOUS MIND.

TAKE THE FEELING COMMONLY
REFERRED TO AS AUTOPILOT.

MOST OF US WILL HAVE
EXPERIENCED IT WHILE DRIVING.

YOU'RE CRUISING ALONG AND
SUDDENLY YOU'RE HALFWAY HOME

WITH NO MEMORY OF
HOW YOU GOT THERE.

THIS SENSATION HAPPENS BECAUSE
THE DRIVING IS BEING PERFORMED

UNCONSCIOUSLY AND AUTOMATICALLY.

BRAINS CAN BE TRAINED TO PERFORM
ALMOST ANY SKILL AUTOMATICALLY.

AND SOME OF THEM CAN
SEEM ALMOST SUPERHUMAN.

THROUGH INTENSE PRACTICE,
THE BRAIN'S ABILITY

TO RUN ON AUTOPILOT
CAN BE HARNESSED

TO ACHIEVE SOME EXTREME FEATS.

MAN: FREE SOLO CLIMBING
IS CLIMBING WITHOUT

ANYTHING BUT YOUR BODY.

THERE'S NO ROPES,
THERE'S NOTHING HOLDING YOU

ONTO THE ROCK BUT
YOUR HANDS AND YOUR FEET.

EAGLEMAN: THIS IS DEAN POTTER.

FROM THE AGE OF 12, HE'S
DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO CLIMBING.

THESE YEARS OF PRACTICE HAVE
HARDWIRED THIS INCREDIBLE SKILL

INTO THE STRUCTURE
OF HIS BRAIN.

BUT DEAN'S REAL CHALLENGE IS
TO LET THESE HARD-WIRED SKILLS

RUN WITHOUT
CONSCIOUS INTERFERENCE.

A MOMENT'S HESITATION OR STRAY
THOUGHT COULD SPELL DISASTER.

TO STAY ALIVE,
DEAN HAS TO GIVE OVER

COMPLETE CONTROL
TO HIS UNCONSCIOUS.

POTTER: MY MOST PINNACLE
MOMENTS ARE WHEN I COMPLETELY

GO AWAY CONSCIOUSLY AND I FIND
MYSELF AT THE TOP OF THE ROCK.

IT'S KINDA LIKE BLACKOUT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED,
BUT I'M ON THE TOP OF THE ROCK.

EAGLEMAN: AS DEAN CLIMBS,
HE ENTERS

WHAT'S KNOWN AS A FLOW STATE.

IT'S A FORM OF BRAIN ACTIVITY
EXPERIENCED BY

DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE
FROM MEDITATION EXPERTS

TO ELITE ATHLETES
TO PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS.

IT'S SOMETIMES REFERRED TO
AS "THE ZONE"

AND IT ARISES DURING
TOTAL IMMERSION IN THE TASK.

IN FLOW STATES, THE NEURAL
CIRCUITS ARE ABLE TO RUN

WITHOUT THE CONSCIOUS
MIND INTERFERING.

WHEN DEAN ENTERS A FLOW STATE,

HE OPERATES WITHOUT DISTRACTION
AND WITHOUT FEAR.

POTTER: MY PERCEPTION
IS HEIGHTENED.

WHAT I'M SEEING
IS MUCH CLEARER.

THE PARTICLES OF DUST
IN THE AIR IN FRONT OF ME,

VERY SUBTLE NOISES OR
THINGS THAT HAPPEN VERY FAST

BECOME SLOWED DOWN.

I'M NO LONGER IN
MY RATIONAL THOUGHT,

I'M IN MY UNCONSCIOUS THOUGHT
WHERE I'M JUST

MOVING ON THE ROCK.

I STOP THINKING ABOUT WHAT I'M
DOING, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST DO.

WE ALL HAVE CHATTER WHEN
WE'RE THINKING OF, LIKE,

ALL THE THINGS IN LIFE.

WE ALL WALK AROUND WITH
ALL THIS WEIGHT ON US,

THINGS WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT OR
THINGS WE'RE HOPEFUL FOR, UM,

THINGS THAT AREN'T LIKE,
REALLY THEY DON'T

HAVE TO DO WITH WHERE WE'RE AT,
AND FOR ME

DANGER ELIMINATES ALL THAT.

THE REASON I'M DOING ALL THESE
THINGS ISN'T TO CLIMB THE ROCK,

THE REASON I'M DOING IT IS
TO ENTER THE HEIGHTENED STATE

SO IT DOESN'T MATTER
WHAT I'M DOING.

IF I CAN ENTER THAT
HEIGHTENED STATE, I'M HAPPY.

EAGLEMAN: MONTHS AFTER THIS
INTERVIEW, DEAN LOST HIS LIFE

IN A WINGSUIT ACCIDENT
IN YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

DOING WHAT HE LOVED.

THE HIDDEN PARTS OF
THE BRAIN CAN TAKE

TOTAL CONTROL
OVER OUR BODIES...

BUT IT'S ALSO CAPABLE OF SHAPING
OUR LIVES IN MORE PROFOUND WAYS.

THE MAN WHO WOULD
BEGIN TO UNCOVER THIS

REVOLUTIONIZED THE WAY
WE THINK ABOUT WHO WE ARE.

HIS NAME WAS SIGMUND FREUD.

IN 1938, SIGMUND FREUD WAS

FLEEING FROM
THE NAZIS IN AUSTRIA

AND HE MOVED HERE
TO THIS HOUSE IN LONDON.

FREUD WAS ONE OF
THE 20TH CENTURY'S

MOST INFLUENTIAL THINKERS, AND
THAT'S BECAUSE HE USHERED IN

A NEW WAY OF THINKING ABOUT WHY
PEOPLE BEHAVED THE WAY THEY DO.

FREUD'S FASCINATION WITH
THE BRAIN HAD BEGUN AT

MEDICAL SCHOOL IN VIENNA, WHERE
HE SPECIALIZED IN NEUROLOGY.

AFTER GRADUATION, HE
SET UP A PRIVATE PRACTICE

TREATING PATIENTS WITH
PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS.

FASCINATED BY WHAT HE SAW,
FREUD SOON BEGAN FORMULATING

RADICALLY NEW IDEAS ABOUT
THE UNCONSCIOUS MIND.

FREUD ON RECORDING:
I DISCOVERED SOME IMPORTANT NEW
FACTS ABOUT THE UNCONSCIOUS...

OUT OF THESE FINDINGS
GREW A NEW SCIENCE.

EAGLEMAN: FREUD WOULD BECOME
THE FOUNDER OF PSYCHOANALYSIS,

AN APPROACH THAT PUT
THE FOCUS ON UNDERSTANDING

WHAT'S BENEATH
CONSCIOUS AWARENESS.

RUTH MCCALL IS A PSYCHOANALYST

WITH A SPECIAL INTEREST
IN FREUD'S WORK.

MCCALL: BEFORE FREUD,
THERE WAS VERY LITTLE HELP.

FREUD PIONEERED A METHOD OF
GETTING PEOPLE JUST TO TALK

TO TRY AND GET PEOPLE TO EXPOSE
THEMSELVES THROUGH WORDS.

HE WOULD GET PEOPLE TO LIE ON
WHAT HE CALLED A COUCH

AND HE SAT BEHIND THEM BECAUSE

WHEN YOU BREAK THE LINKAGE
OF EYE-TO-EYE CONTACT,

PEOPLE STOP SPEAKING
TO NOT A PERSON

AND THEY BEGIN TO SPEAK
A BIT MORE TO THEMSELVES.

AND THAT, WE FEEL,
LEADS TO THREADS

THAT HAVE THEIR ENDPOINT
IN OUR UNCONSCIOUS.

EAGLEMAN: IN AN ERA
BEFORE BRAIN SCANS

OR POWERFUL
COMPUTER SIMULATIONS,

FREUD'S COUCH WAS HIS WINDOW

INTO THE WORLD OF
THE UNCONSCIOUS.

FREUD PAID CLOSE ATTENTION
TO THE INFORMATION

THAT WAS CONTAINED
IN SLIPS OF THE TONGUE

AND HE HYPOTHESIZED THAT
ALL OF THIS RESULTS FROM

UNCONSCIOUS MOTIVATIONS.

SO BY PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT
WAS POKING ABOVE THE SURFACE,

FREUD FELT THAT HE COULD
GET A GOOD SENSE

OF WHAT WAS LURKING BELOW.

FREUD HAD SEEN
THAT BENEATH THE SURFACE

OF EACH OF US LIES
A SWIRLING SEA

OF HIDDEN MOTIVATIONS
AND DRIVES AND DESIRES.

THE WAY WE THINK
AND FEEL AND ACT

IS PROFOUNDLY INFLUENCED
BY THIS UNCONSCIOUS.

FREUD WOULD BE JUST
ONE OF MANY EXPLORERS

OF THIS BRAVE NEW WORLD.

AS THE 20TH CENTURY PROGRESSED,
MANY OTHER SCIENTISTS BEGAN

DESIGNING EXPERIMENTS
TO SHED LIGHT ON

THE MYSTERIOUS WORKINGS
OF THE MIND.

THEY WERE TRYING TO UNCOVER
HOW MUCH CONTROL

OUR CONSCIOUSNESS REALLY HAS.

BUT WHAT THEY WERE TO DISCOVER

WOULD BE FAR STRANGER
THAN ANYONE IMAGINED.

TAKE AN EXPERIMENT RUN IN
THE MID-1960S BY ECKHARD HESS.

IT WAS A SIMPLE EXPERIMENT.

HE ASKED MEN TO LOOK AT
PHOTOGRAPHS OF WOMEN'S FACES

AND MAKE JUDGMENTS ABOUT THEM.

HOW KIND DOES SHE LOOK?

HOW SELFISH OR UNSELFISH?

HOW FRIENDLY OR UNFRIENDLY?

AND HOW ATTRACTIVE?

IT SEEMS LIKE
A STRAIGHTFORWARD ENOUGH TASK.

BUT AS IS OFTEN THE CASE WITH
PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPERIMENTS...

THERE WAS A CATCH.

UNBEKNOWNST TO THE SUBJECT,

THE EXPERIMENT
HAD BEEN MANIPULATED.

IN HALF OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS,
THE WOMEN'S EYES HAD BEEN

ARTIFICIALLY DILATED.

SO IT WAS THE SAME WOMAN BUT
WITH DIFFERENT-SIZED PUPILS.

DILATED EYES ARE,
AMONG OTHER THINGS,

A BIOLOGICAL SIGN
OF SEXUAL AROUSAL.

THIS WAS TO
DRASTICALLY INFLUENCE

THE CHOICES THAT THE MEN MADE.

BUT WITHOUT THEM
BEING AWARE OF IT.

IT TURNS OUT THAT THE MEN
FOUND THE WOMEN WITH

DILATED EYES TO BE
MORE ATTRACTIVE.

NOW HERE'S THE IMPORTANT PART.

NONE OF THE MEN
EXPLICITLY NOTICED

THAT THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE
IN THE SIZE OF THE PUPILS...

AND CRITICALLY, NONE OF THE MEN
KNEW THAT DILATED EYES

IS A BIOLOGICAL SIGN
OF SEXUAL READINESS.

BUT THEIR BRAINS KNEW,
AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING

WAS RUNNING DEEPLY-CARVED
EVOLUTIONARY PROGRAMS,

STEERING THEIR DECISION MAKING
TOWARDS THE RIGHT SORT OF MATE.

THE SUBJECTS' BRAINS WERE
RECOGNIZING AND ANALYZING

TINY DETAILS IN THE PICTURES
AND ACTING ON THEM.

ALL OF THIS WAS
HAPPENING WITHOUT

A FLICKER OF
CONSCIOUS AWARENESS.

THIS KIND OF EXPERIMENT REVEALS
SOMETHING FUNDAMENTAL

ABOUT HOW BRAINS OPERATE.

THE JOB OF THIS ORGAN IS TO

GATHER INFORMATION
FROM THE WORLD

AND STEER YOUR
BEHAVIOR APPROPRIATELY

AND IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER
WHETHER YOUR

CONSCIOUS AWARENESS IS
INVOLVED IN THAT OR NOT.

AND MOST OF THE TIME, IT'S NOT.

MOST OF THE TIME, YOU'RE
NOT AWARE OF THE DECISIONS

THAT ARE BEING MADE
ON YOUR BEHALF.

HESS'S EXPERIMENT IS JUST
THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

TODAY, RESEARCHERS
HAVE UNCOVERED

A WHOLE RANGE OF SCENARIOS
IN WHICH OUR UNCONSCIOUS BRAINS

MAKE DECISIONS OR
CHANGE OUR BEHAVIOR

WITHOUT US REALIZING
WHAT'S HAPPENING.

THERE YOU GO.

EAGLEMAN: HERE ARE JUST A FEW
OF THE STRANGER ONES.

IF YOU'RE HOLDING
A WARM CUP OF COFFEE,

YOU'LL DESCRIBE YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR MOTHER

AS CLOSER THAN IF YOU'RE
HOLDING AN ICED COFFEE.

WHEN YOU'RE IN
A FOUL-SMELLING ENVIRONMENT,

YOU MAKE HARSHER
MORAL DECISIONS.

IF YOU HAPPEN TO
FIND YOURSELF SITTING

NEXT TO SOME HAND SANITIZER,

THAT SHIFTS YOUR
POLITICAL OPINIONS

A LITTLE BIT MORE TOWARDS
THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE.

PRESUMABLY BECAUSE
IT REMINDS YOUR BRAIN

ABOUT OUTSIDE THREATS.

EVERY DAY, WE'RE
INFLUENCED IN COUNTLESS WAYS

BY THE WORLD AROUND US.

AND MOST OF THIS FLIES
COMPLETELY UNDER THE RADAR

OF OUR CONSCIOUS AWARENESS.

TOTALLY HIDDEN FROM US,
THE UNCONSCIOUS BRAIN IS

CONTINUALLY REACTING
TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD

AND MAKING DECISIONS
ON OUR BEHALF.

SO ALL THIS MIGHT
LEAVE YOU WONDERING

WHY AREN'T WE JUST
UNCONSCIOUS BEINGS?

WHAT EXACTLY IS THE POINT
OF CONSCIOUSNESS?

WELL, WE CAN GATHER THE FIRST
CLUE BY LOOKING AT WHAT HAPPENS

WHEN WE ENCOUNTER
SOMETHING UNEXPECTED.

ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE TIME, YOUR
BRAIN CAN RUN ON AUTOPILOT,

WHEN YOU COME ACROSS SOMETHING
YOU WEREN'T EXPECTING...

YOUR CONSCIOUS MIND
IS CALLED INTO ACTION.

IT WORKS TO FIGURE OUT IF
THIS NEW THING IS A THREAT,

OR AN OPPORTUNITY.

THIS IS ONE OF THE JOBS
OF CONSCIOUSNESS--

TO ASSESS WHAT'S GOING ON...
TO MAKE SENSE OF THE SITUATION.

WHEN YOUR EXPECTATIONS
ARE VIOLATED,

CONSCIOUSNESS IS SUMMONED UP
TO WORK OUT

THE APPROPRIATE REACTION.

BUT THAT'S ONLY
PART OF THE STORY.

CONSCIOUSNESS ISN'T JUST ABOUT
REACTING TO UNEXPECTED EVENTS

IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

IT ALSO PLAYS A VITAL ROLE
IN RESOLVING INTERNAL CONFLICT

AMONG THE BRAIN'S MANY
AUTOMATIC SUBSYSTEMS.

TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLE
CONSCIOUSNESS PLAYS,

I LIKE TO IMAGINE THE BRAIN AS
A VAST, SPRAWLING ORGANIZATION.

ONE WITH MANY THOUSANDS OF
DIVISIONS AND SUBDIVISIONS

ALL COLLABORATING
AND INTERACTING AND COMPETING.

I THINK OF CONSCIOUSNESS LIKE

THE CEO OF A LARGE CORPORATION.

WHEN A COMPANY IS SMALL,
IT DOESN'T NEED A CEO--

BUT ONCE AN ORGANIZATION REACHES
SUFFICIENT SIZE AND COMPLEXITY,

THEN IT NEEDS SOMEONE TO
RISE ABOVE THE DAILY DETAILS

AND TAKE THE LONG-VIEW.

WITHIN THE BRAIN,
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF

AUTOMATED DEPARTMENTS,
EACH WORKING ON ITS OWN TASK.

SOME DEPARTMENTS CAN
OVERLAP AND COLLABORATE,

BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE'S
A CONFLICT BETWEEN THEM?

SAY YOU'RE HUNGRY
BUT YOU'RE ON A DIET.

OR YOU FEEL SLEEPY BUT YOU
HAVE AN IMPORTANT DEADLINE.

WHEN THIS HAPPENS, IT'S TIME
FOR THE BOSS TO GET A CALL.

IN THE EVENT OF AN INTERNAL
CONFLICT, YOUR CONSCIOUS MIND

TRIES TO WORK OUT WHAT'S BEST
AND MAKE AN EXECUTIVE DECISION.

CONSCIOUSNESS IS THE ARBITER OF

CONFLICTING MOTIVATIONS
IN THE BRAIN.

IT HAS A UNIQUE VANTAGE POINT,

ONE THAT NO OTHER PART OF
THE BRAIN HAS ACCESS TO.

THINK OF CONSCIOUSNESS AS
A WAY FOR TRILLIONS OF CELLS

TO SEE THEMSELVES
AS A UNIFIED WHOLE.

IT'S A WAY FOR A COMPLEX SYSTEM
TO HOLD UP A MIRROR TO ITSELF.

CONSCIOUSNESS IS
ONE OF EVOLUTION'S

GREATEST CREATIONS.

IT ALLOWS THE BRAIN
TO ARBITRATE

THE VAST WORKINGS
OF THE UNCONSCIOUS.

IT ALLOWS THE BRAIN TO REACT
TO UNEXPECTED EVENTS.

AND IT ALLOWS THE BRAIN
TO SEE ITSELF.

IN ACTING AS
A LONG-TERM PLANNER,

CONSCIOUSNESS HAS LED US
TO BECOME THE MOST SUCCESSFUL

SPECIES ON THE PLANET.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF
CONSCIOUSNESS GOES OFFLINE?

IF THE UNCONSCIOUS
PARTS OF OUR BRAIN

ARE GIVEN COMPLETE CONTROL
OF OUR ACTIONS?

IN TORONTO IN 1987,
A 23-YEAR-OLD MAN

NAMED KEN PARKS WOULD FIND OUT.

THE INCIDENT BEGAN
WHEN HE FELL ASLEEP

IN FRONT OF HIS TELEVISION.

MAN: HE WENT TO SLEEP,
AND HE WOKE UP,

PERHAPS AN HOUR LATER.

I SHOULDN'T SAY HE WOKE UP,
HE GOT UP.

A BIG, BIG DIFFERENCE.

HE LEFT THE HOUSE
WITH HIS KEYS,

DID NOT LOCK THE DOOR,
WHICH HE NORMALLY DOES,

GOT INTO HIS CAR,
HE DROVE 23 OR 24 KILOMETERS...

MADE 4 RIGHT-HAND TURNS...

ENDED UP IN HIS
IN-LAWS' DRIVEWAY,

ENTERED THROUGH THE BASEMENT
WHERE THEY SLEPT...

STRANGLED HIS FATHER-IN-LAW
NOT TO THE POINT OF DEATH

BUT STRANGLED HIM TO THE POINT
WHERE HE WAS IMMOBILE.

HE THEN WENT TO
THE KITCHEN OF...

FOUND A LONG KNIFE AND STABBED
HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW, UM,

5 OR 6 TIMES AND BEAT HER
WITH SOMETHING WHERE, I MEAN,

TO THE POINT WHERE
SHE FRACTURED HER SKULL.

KEN THEN LEFT THEIR HOUSE
AND DROVE ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY

TO THE POLICE STATION.

WALKED IN, HANDS BLEEDING,

AND HE WENT OVER TO SOMEONE WHO
CAME TO HIS ASSISTANCE AND SAID,

"I THINK I'VE JUST
KILLED SOMEBODY."

EAGLEMAN: TO MOST PEOPLE,
KEN'S GUILT SEEMED OBVIOUS,

BUT HE APPEARED
TO HAVE NO MEMORY

OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED OR HOW.

KEN WAS LYING IN A BED

WITH HIS HANDS COMPLETELY
BANDAGED AND WAS BEWILDERED.

THAT'S THE WAY TO DESCRIBE
HIM--COMPLETELY BEWILDERED,

LOST, UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT HAD HAPPENED,

WHY HAD IT HAPPENED,
AND SOME PART OF HIM

WANTED TO ASK THE QUESTION,
WHO DID IT?

EAGLEMAN: KEN HAD A GOOD
RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS IN-LAWS

AND EVERYONE AGREED HE HAD
NO MOTIVE FOR THE CRIME.

MARLYS BEGAN TO SUSPECT
THAT SOMETHING MUST HAVE

GONE WRONG IN KEN'S BRAIN AND
SHE ASSEMBLED A TEAM OF EXPERTS

TO HELP FIGURE OUT WHAT.

THEY SOON BEGAN
TO SUSPECT THE EVENTS

MIGHT BE CONNECTED
TO KEN'S SLEEP.

IN PRISON, KEN WAS
VISITED BY SLEEP EXPERT

DR. ROGER BROUGHTON.

HIS FINDINGS WERE
TO PROVE A REVELATION.

TURRALL: THEY WIRED HIM UP...

AND THEY WATCHED

HIS SLEEP PATTERN
FOR THE FIRST NIGHT.

AND THEN THE SECOND NIGHT THEY
WOKE HIM UP OCCASIONALLY TO SEE

HOW FAST HE WOULD
GO BACK TO SLEEP.

AND THEN THEY DETERMINED THAT
THE PROFILE OF THE SLEEP PATTERN

WAS CONSISTENT WITH THAT
OF A SLEEPWALKER,

THAT COULD MOVE INVOLUNTARILY

AND DO SPECIFIC
KINDS OF ACTIONS.

EAGLEMAN: AS THE TEAM
BEGAN INVESTIGATING,

THEY FOUND SLEEP DISORDERS
OF ALL KINDS

THROUGHOUT KEN'S
EXTENDED FAMILY.

WITH NO MOTIVE, NO WAY
TO FAKE HIS SLEEP RESULTS,

AND SUCH EXTENSIVE FAMILY
HISTORY OF SLEEP PROBLEMS,

KEN WAS ACQUITTED OF
THE MURDER CHARGE.

EDWARDH: THE VERDICT
WAS STUNNING.

IT WAS A MORAL
VINDICATION FOR KEN,

IT WASN'T THAT HE DIDN'T...
DIDN'T DO IT

BUT THERE WAS NO THOUGHT
ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

HE DIDN'T WISH IT TO HAPPEN,
HE DIDN'T WILL IT TO HAPPEN,

THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD
DO TO STOP IT.

IT WAS COMPLETELY
OUTSIDE HIS CONTROL.

THE JUDGE LEANED DOWN AND SAID,
"MR. PARKS, YOU'RE FREE TO GO."

OPENED THE DOOR AND WALKED OUT
WITH ME.

EAGLEMAN: AFTER THE TRIAL,
KEN WAS PRESCRIBED MEDICATION

FOR HIS SLEEP DISORDER,
AND IT WAS DECIDED THAT

HE NO LONGER POSED A RISK
TO THOSE AROUND HIM.

THE CASE ILLUSTRATES
THAT PEOPLE CAN CARRY OUT

EXTREME AND SOPHISTICATED
BEHAVIORS

WITH NO CONSCIOUS AWARENESS.

OUR UNCONSCIOUS BRAINS
STEER OUR BEHAVIOR,

BUT HOW HAVE OUR BRAINS BECOME
TO BE THE WAY THEY ARE?

WHY ARE THERE
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN US,

MAKING YOU AND ME
BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY

WHEN FACED WITH
THE SAME CHOICES?

TO ANSWER THIS, WE NEED
TO LOOK ONE LEVEL DEEPER

TO HOW OUR BRAINS GET BUILT,
AND THAT BEGINS WITH OUR GENES.

THE GENES YOU COME
TO THE TABLE WITH

CAN HAVE AN ENORMOUS INFLUENCE
ON YOUR BEHAVIOR.

CONSIDER THIS: ABOUT
HALF OF THE POPULATION CARRIES

A PARTICULAR SET OF GENES.

AND IF YOU HAVE THESE,
YOUR CHANCES OF COMMITTING

A VIOLENT CRIME GO UP BY 882%.

THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF
PRISONERS CARRY THESE GENES,

AS DOES ALMOST EVERYONE
ON DEATH ROW.

SO WE CAN'T PRESUME THAT
EVERYONE IS COMING TO THE TABLE

EQUALLY EQUIPPED IN TERMS
OF DRIVES AND BEHAVIORS.

BY THE WAY, WE SUMMARIZE
THIS SET OF GENES

AS THE Y CHROMOSOME.

IF YOU'RE A CARRIER,
WE CALL YOU A MALE.

OBVIOUSLY, YOUR GENDER IS
DETERMINED BY YOUR GENES,

BUT FROM THERE, HOW YOUR DNA
RELATES TO YOUR BEHAVIOR

BECOMES A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX.

BECAUSE ALTHOUGH YOU
COME TO THE TABLE

WITH A FIXED PATTERN OF DNA,

NOT EVERY ONE OF YOUR GENES WILL
GET THE CHANCE TO PLAY A PART.

GENETICS IS ONLY PART OF
THE STORY OF WHO YOU BECOME.

BECAUSE WHICH OF YOUR GENES
EXPRESS, AND WHEN--

THIS IS INFLUENCED BY THE
DETAILS OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT.

SO THE FAMILY THAT
YOU'RE BORN INTO

AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE
CULTURE YOU FIND YOURSELF IN--

ALL OF THESE INTERACT
WITH YOUR GENETICS.

AND THIS SENDS BRAINS OFF ON

VERY DIFFERENT
LIFE TRAJECTORIES.

THE ACTIVITY
OF OUR BILLIONS OF NEURONS

IS SHAPED BY THE INTERNAL
AND EXTERNAL WORLD.

BOTH OUR GENETICS AND OUR
ENVIRONMENT COLLABORATE

TO BUILD OUR BRAINS AND THEREBY
STEER OUR BEHAVIOR.

PUT THE SAME INFANT BRAIN
IN A DIFFERENT TIME OR PLACE

AND IT WILL MOLD
TO FIT THAT SETTING.

CULTURE...IDEAS...
BELIEF SYSTEMS...

ALL THESE VARIABLES
IN OUR ENVIRONMENT

INTERACT WITH OUR GENES
TO PHYSICALLY CHANGE

THE STRUCTURE OF OUR BRAINS.

AND THIS IN TURN DEFINES WHO
WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO BECOME.

OUR FREEDOM IS CONSTRAINED
BY THE WORLD

WE HAPPENED TO DROP INTO.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BRAIN
THIS WAY, IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT

WE'RE NOT THE ONES
STEERING OUR OWN LIVES,

AT LEAST NOT NEARLY AS MUCH
AS WE'D LIKE TO BELIEVE.

ALL THIS MIGHT LEAVE YOU
WONDERING WHETHER

THE CONSCIOUS MIND IS
EVER TRULY IN CONTROL.

ARE THERE ANY DECISIONS
THAT CAN BE MADE

INDEPENDENTLY OF YOUR HISTORY?

DO YOU HAVE FREE WILL
OF ANY KIND?

IT'S A QUESTION
PHILOSOPHERS AND SCIENTISTS

HAVE GRAPPLED WITH
FOR CENTURIES,

BUT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS,
A SMALL NUMBER OF

NEUROSCIENCE STUDIES HAVE BEGUN
MAKING INROADS INTO THE PROBLEM.

MAN: WE GENERALLY THINK THAT

WHEN WE CHOOSE TO DO SOMETHING,

THAT THERE MUST BE SOME
ACTIVITY IN THE BRAIN

THAT HAS TO DO WITH
THAT THING OF CHOOSING.

BUT IT APPEARS THAT
NOTHING IN WHAT WE CAN

RECORD IN BRAIN ACTIVITY
CLEARLY POINTS TO

SOMETHING IN THE BRAIN
ASCRIBED TO THIS THING OF

CHOICE OF FREE WILL.

EAGLEMAN: THE MYSTERY
OF FREE WILL

HAS INTRIGUED
MANY NEUROSCIENTISTS,

BUT ALVARO AND HIS TEAM WOULD
BE THE FIRST TO EXPLORE IT

USING A TECHNIQUE KNOWN AS

TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC
STIMULATION, OR TMS.

PASCUAL-LEONE: TMS, IT'S REALLY
A WAY TO INDUCE CURRENT

IN A SPECIFIC TARGET
OF THE CORTEX OF THE BRAIN,

WITHOUT HAVING TO DO SURGERY,
WITHOUT HAVING TO OPEN UP

THE SKULL OR THE SKIN.

EAGLEMAN: TMS CAN BE USED TO
INITIATE INVOLUNTARY MOVEMENT.

THIS WOULD LEAD
ALVARO TO DESIGN

A SIMPLE EXPERIMENT
TO EXPLORE FREE WILL.

WHAT WE
WANT YOU TO DO IS

LOOK AT THAT
COMPUTER SCREEN.

EAGLEMAN: WHEN PARTICIPANTS
SAW A RED LIGHT ON SCREEN,

THEY HAD TO DECIDE WHICH HAND
THEY WERE GOING TO MOVE,

BUT NOT ACTUALLY
MAKE THE MOVEMENT.

WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED YELLOW,
THEY WERE GIVEN A BURST OF TMS.

WHEN THE LIGHT WENT GREEN,
THEY SIMPLY HAD TO

MOVE THE HAND THAT
THEY HAD CHOSEN.

ALVARO FOUND THAT BY TARGETING

CERTAIN AREAS OF
THE BRAIN WITH TMS,

HE COULD MAKE PARTICIPANTS
CHANGE THEIR MIND.

PASCUAL-LEONE:
SO WHAT HAPPENED THERE?

I SEEMED TO HAVE PLANNED
TO MOVE MY RIGHT,

BUT THEN AT
THE LAST SECOND,
I CHANGED MY MIND.

I'M NOT SURE WHY.

THIS IS THE
TMS RESPONSE.

THERE'S A LITTLE PAUSE
AND THEN THIS SQUIGGLY LINE

IS THE VOLUNTARY MOVEMENT.

EAGLEMAN: IT WAS CLEAR
THAT TMS WAS CAUSING

THE PARTICIPANT'S MOVEMENTS.

AND YET MANY PEOPLE REMAINED
CONVINCED THAT THEY HAD MADE

CHOICES WITH
THEIR OWN FREE WILL.

PASCUAL-LEONE: MORE OFTEN THAN
NOT, THE SUBJECT WOULD SAY,

"I DID THAT."

WE WOULD LOOK AT THE RECORDINGS
AND SAY, "NO, YOU DIDN'T."

THEY'D SAY, "NO, SURE,
SURE, I DID, I DID."

SO THAT WAS STRIKING BECAUSE IT
TURNED OUT SUBJECTS INTERPRET

ANYTHING THAT MOVED AS THEIR OWN
CHOICE EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T.

EAGLEMAN: ALVARO'S EXPERIMENT
REVEALS HOW GOOD

THE CONSCIOUS MIND IS
AT TELLING ITSELF

THAT A FREE CHOICE
HAS BEEN MADE...

EVEN WHEN IT HASN'T.

DEMONSTRATIONS LIKE THESE
ARE TANTALIZING,

BUT THE TRUTH IS SCIENCE
HAS YET TO DEVISE

A CONCLUSIVE EXPERIMENT
THAT PROVES OR DISPROVES

THE EXISTENCE OF FREE WILL.

IT MAY BE THAT OUR SCIENCE
IS JUST TOO YOUNG

TO KNOW HOW TO LOOK FOR IT,
OR IT MIGHT TURN OUT

THAT FREE WILL IS
SIMPLY AN ILLUSION.

BUT IF WE REALLY DON'T
HAVE IT AT ALL,

WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN
FOR OUR LIVES?

WHAT IF THERE IS NO FREE WILL?

WHAT IF WE'RE JUST SYSTEMS THAT
MOVE FROM ONE STATE TO THE NEXT,

IN A COMPLETELY
PREDICTABLE MANNER?

A LIFE THAT'S TOTALLY
PREDICTABLE LIKE THAT

WOULDN'T REALLY BE WORTH
LIVING OUT, WOULD IT?

BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS:
IN PRACTICE,

PREDICTABILITY IS IMPOSSIBLE.

LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT I MEAN
WITH THIS SIMPLE PING-PONG BALL.

AS THE BALL ENTERS THE BOX,

IT'S POSSIBLE TO PREDICT
VERY ACCURATELY

WHERE IT'S GOING TO LAND.

BUT AS IT BEGINS
TO TRIGGER OTHER BALLS,

THINGS START TO BECOME
MORE COMPLEX.

ANY ERROR IN THE INITIAL
PREDICTION, NO MATTER HOW SMALL,

BECOMES MAGNIFIED
AS BALLS COLLIDE

AND BOUNCE OFF THE SIDES
AND TRIGGER OTHER BALLS.

SOON IT BECOMES COMPLETELY
IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE

ANY KIND OF PREDICTION ABOUT
HOW THE BALLS WILL END UP.

THE BALLS HAVE NO CHOICE
IN THE DIRECTION THEY MOVE...

THEY HAVE NO FREEDOM
TO DO IT DIFFERENTLY...

AND YET THE SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY
IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT.

YOUR THOUGHTS, AND YOUR
FEELINGS, AND YOUR DECISIONS:

ALL OF THESE EMERGE
FROM THE INNUMERABLE, ONGOING

INTERACTIONS IN YOUR BRAIN.

THIS BOX HAS 150
PING-PONG BALLS IN IT,

BUT YOUR BRAIN HAS BILLIONS
OF TIMES MORE INTERACTIONS

THAN THAT EVERY SECOND.

AND FOR YOUR WHOLE LIFE,
IT NEVER STOPS.

WHAT'S MORE, EACH INDIVIDUAL
BRAIN IS EMBEDDED IN

A WORLD OF OTHER
PEOPLE'S BRAINS.

THE NEURONS OF EVERY HUMAN ON
THE PLANET FIRE AND INTERACT

AND INFLUENCE EACH OTHER,

CREATING A SYSTEM OF
UNIMAGINABLE COMPLEXITY.

THIS MEANS THAT EVEN THOUGH
BRAINS FOLLOW PREDICTABLE RULES,

IN PRACTICE IT WILL ALWAYS
BE IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW

EXACTLY WHERE
ANY OF US ARE GOING.

OUR CONSCIOUS MINDS PLAY A MUCH
SMALLER ROLE IN OUR LIVES

THAN WE ONCE IMAGINED.

EVERYTHING FROM WHAT WE DO
TO WHO WE ARE

IS ORCHESTRATED BY
THE UNCONSCIOUS BRAIN.

THE COSMOS TURNED OUT TO BE
LARGER THAN WE HAD EVER IMAGINED

FROM GAZING AT THE NIGHT SKY.

AND IN THE SAME WAY,
THE UNIVERSE INSIDE OUR HEAD

EXTENDS FAR BEYOND
OUR CONSCIOUS EXPERIENCE.

TODAY, WE'RE GETTING
THE FIRST GLIMPSES

OF THE VASTNESS OF
THIS INNER SPACE.

THE HUMAN BRAIN IS NATURE'S
PERPLEXING MASTERPIECE.

IT'S THE MOST WONDROUS THING

WE'VE DISCOVERED
IN THE UNIVERSE...

AND IT'S US.