Review of Rick Repetti, Buddhism, Meditation, and Free Will: A Theory of Mental Freedom

This review of Rick Repetti's book on Buddhism, meditation, and free will argues that South Asian Buddhist philosophy offers an alternative framework for thinking about freedom and agency. The author contends that there is no single position a Buddhist must take on free will, and that the silence of Buddhist thinkers on this issue may be instructive for contemporary free will skeptics considering individual and collective liberation.

Study at a glance

Abstract

In this extended review, I provide a brief overview of Rick Repetti's arguments in Buddhism, Meditation, and Free Will: A Theory of Mental Freedom. I then propose that South Asian Buddhist philosophy should be seen as providing an alternative way of thinking about questions regarding freedom and agency. More specifically, I ague that there isn’t anything that a Buddhist must say about free will; and that paying attention to their silence on the issue may be useful in thinking about what a contemporary free will skeptic should say about individual and collective liberation.