Determined: A Science of Life without Free Will

by Robert M. Sapolsky

Naturally, sexuality comes into this too. In 1991, the superb neuroscientist Simon LeVay at the Salk Institute rocked the world with front-page news. LeVay, gay and still reeling from the death of the love of his life from AIDS, had discovered a part of the brain that differed structurally depending on whether you loved people of your gender or the opposite one.

“John Henryism,” named for the American folk hero, the railroad construction worker who drove steel with unmatched strength; challenged by his boss to compete against a new machine doing the same, he vowed that no machine was going to keep him down, battled and defeated it . . . only to then drop dead from exhaustion.

Having a neuropsychiatric disorder, having been born into a poor family, having the wrong face or skin color, having the wrong ovaries, loving the wrong gender. Not being smart enough, beautiful enough, successful enough, extroverted enough, lovable enough. Hatred, loathing, disappointment, the have-nots persuaded to believe that they deserve to be where they are because of the blemish on their face or their brain. All wrapped in the lie of a just world.