Edward Wang

I completed my Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of British Columbia in 2026, majoring in Philosophy and Cognitive Systems (Emphasis in Mind, Language, and Computation). I developed my interest in free will through contemplating issues in psychology, political philosophy, decision theory, neuroscience, and philosophy of physics and mind.

I have argued that while the metaphysical question of whether we possess free will is unsettled, we can make progress in analyzing whether believing in free will is good for us. The understanding that free will belief may promote flourishing for some, but it may also impose unwarranted guilt and shame on the disadvantaged members of our society, shapes how I philosophize and live my life. On the metaphysical issue, I am interested in how theories of mind and mental causation inform theories of free will. Recently, I grew interested in theories of quantum consciousness and their implications for libertarian free will.

Outside of free will, I am interested in metaethics (of the subjectivist flavor), philosophy of technology (artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and consumer technology), and the bigger questions about philosophy (methodology and aims). In fact, I work in virtual reality almost every day. Outside of philosophy, I enjoy outdoor activities (esp. rock climbing and hiking), movies and TVs, and video games (esp. StarCraft II).