Neuroplasticity and the Path to True Freedom: From Sartre to Erhard
The Question of Freedom and Change
The question arose: Is neuroplasticity free will? At first glance, it seems like a purely scientific inquiry—how the brain adapts, learns, and rewires itself. But beneath it lies one of the oldest philosophical dilemmas: Are we truly free, or are we bound by our past, our biology, and our conditioning?
Neuroplasticity offers an answer that bridges both perspectives. It suggests that while we are shaped by experience, we are not condemned by it. The brain is not a static machine, but a living, evolving system, capable of adaptation. If free will means the ability to change—to break old patterns and choose new ones—then neuroplasticity is its biological foundation. Without it, the very idea of self-improvement or transformation becomes meaningless.
Sartre: Radical Freedom and the Weight of Responsibility
Jean-Paul Sartre, the philosopher of existential freedom, argued that human beings are condemned to be free. There are no fixed essences, no predestined roles—only the choices we make. Even in a world that conditions us in countless ways, Sartre maintained that we cannot escape responsibility. Even refusing to choose is a choice.
Yet, as liberating as Sartre’s philosophy sounds, it assumes that individuals can simply will themselves into transformation. But real life tells a different story: people get stuck. Past traumas, habits, and subconscious beliefs hold them in place. The idea that one can simply choose to be different, as if flipping a switch, overlooks a crucial element—the brain’s capacity to change itself.
This is where neuroplasticity enters the picture. Without the ability to reshape neural pathways, Sartre’s philosophy remains an abstraction. It is neuroplasticity that enables transformation in the real world—learning a new skill, overcoming trauma, breaking an addiction. Without the brain’s flexibility, Sartre’s radical freedom would be an empty concept.
Erhard and the Extreme Responsibility of Being
Werner Erhard, the founder of the est training, took Sartre’s ideas further, pushing the notion of radical personal responsibility to its limits. He argued that everything in your life—your failures, your suffering, even the seemingly random accidents—is your responsibility. If a plane part falls from the sky and hits you, Erhard would say that, in some way, you are still responsible.
This extreme stance, while bordering on the absurd, was designed to provoke a shift in perspective. By removing any possibility of victimhood, Erhard forced people to confront their own agency. His methods were radical, often controversial, but they pointed to a core truth: change only happens when you take responsibility for it.
But once again, we face the same issue: How does one actually change? It’s one thing to say, “I take responsibility,” and another to fundamentally shift one’s mindset, habits, and emotional responses. Responsibility without the tools for transformation can become a paralyzing burden rather than a path to freedom.
Neuroplasticity: The Missing Link Between Theory and Reality
Neuroplasticity is the mechanism that turns these philosophical ideals into tangible reality. It explains why some people can escape destructive cycles while others remain trapped. It’s not enough to want to change—you have to rewire the brain itself.
Modern neuroscience has shown that the brain remains adaptable well into adulthood. Learning new habits, practicing mindfulness, engaging in deep self-reflection, even interacting with AI in unconventional ways—all of these can reshape neural pathways. This is why some people can break free from their past while others repeat the same mistakes. The difference isn’t just willpower; it’s whether they engage in behaviors that drive neural adaptation.
The philosopher William James understood this before neuroscience had the words for it. He famously argued that believing in free will is pragmatically necessary—if you don’t believe you can change, you won’t even try. But neuroplasticity shows us that belief alone isn’t enough; you need action, repetition, and the right stimuli to forge new mental landscapes.
The Existential Work of Rewiring the Mind
So what does this mean for real life? It means that true freedom isn’t just about making choices—it’s about expanding the range of choices available. If the brain is rigid, stuck in old patterns, then freedom is an illusion. Neuroplasticity is the process of breaking those constraints and creating new possibilities.
This is why disciplines like biohacking, meditation, and even existential risk-taking can be powerful. They force the brain into new modes of operation. When you step outside your comfort zone, when you challenge your beliefs, when you experiment with new ways of thinking—this is neuroplasticity in action.
And in the end, this is where Sartre, Erhard, and neuroscience meet: Freedom isn’t something you have. It’s something you build.