Winner of the Socrates Cup Prize 2022

About the book

Does a millionaire have the right to be rich? Should we forgive even a murderer? And can a person ever change their fate? It all depends on our answer to a fundamental question: do we have free will?

For centuries now philosophers have had their doubts as to the answer, and for decades biologists and neurologists have been declaring that free will does not exist. Each year the stack of evidence against free will grows taller: we are a product of our genes, of our history and of our circumstances. And yet we cannot let free will go. This myth has more influence today than ever – in our criminal justice system, our economy and our quest for happiness.

Jurriën Hamer thinks further where others shy away and calls into question the role of free will. Why Bad Guys Have Bad Luck is a confronting debut with radical implications for the way we live – from our politics to our most intimate relationships.