title: [Determinism and Freedom of Choice in the Brain Functioning].
abstract: The problem is considered whether the brain response is completely determined by the stimulus and the personal experience or in some cases the brain is free to choose its behavioral response to achieve the desired goal. The attempt is made to approach to this important philosophical problem basing on modern knowledge about the brain. The paper consists of four parts. In the first part the theoretical views about the free choice problem solving are considered, including views about the freedom of choice as a useful illusion, the hypothesis on appliance of quantum mechanics laws to the brain functioning and the theory of mentalism. In other tree parts consequently the more complicated brain functions such as choice reaction, thinking and creation are analyzed. The general conclusion is that the possibility of quite unpredictable, but sometimes very effective decisions increases when the brain functions are more and more complicated. This fact can be explained with two factors: increasing stochasticity of the brain processes and the role of top-down determinations from mental to neural levels, according to the theory of mentalism.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ivanitsky
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005610:Freedom; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology; D009424:Nervous System Physiological Phenomena