We continue considering that Sam Harris and Jerry Coyne deny free will: find the entire series here.
Sam Harris next proposes a metaphorical scenario wherein a scientist develops the ability to control people’s thoughts. He thinks it demonstrates that “the undeniable fact that the conscious mind is not the source of its own thoughts and intentions.” Indeed, yet the deck is stacked as the metaphor is, of course, meant to prove a point. In the metaphor we know that the scientist is running the show and that the person being acted upon is not. But in real life we do not that we are not running the show and that something else is. He notes:
This discloses the real mystery of free will: if our moment to moment experience is compatible with its utter absence, how can we say that we see any evidence for it in the first place?
Now you understand why he is an Atheist as he basically argues the same about God, one could paraphrase him here thusly:
This discloses the real mystery of the question of God’s existence: if our moment to moment experience is compatible with God’s utter absence, how can we say that we see any evidence for God in the first place?
But this is merely question begging: do we not see evidence for free will (for God)? Of course, we do but his Atheistic, materialistic, mechanistic, reductionistic worldview will not allow him to admit it—in both cases. 
Now, having traveled the same road as Jerry Coyne did, Sam Harris now turns tail just as Coyne did:
None of this, however, renders the choices we make in life any less important.
Yes, you read it correctly, after presenting a case for lack of free will he claims that we make choices. But how do we and why make such as claim at this point?
It is at this point that Coyne and Harris appear to part ways as Coyne denies choice making but Harris affirms it.
He explains:
…many people confuse determinism with fatalism….the fact that our choices depend on prior causes does not mean that they do not matter…Decisions, intentions, efforts, goals, willpower, etc., are causal states of the brain, leading to specific behaviors, and behaviors lead to outcomes in the world. Human choice, therefore, is as important as fanciers of free will believe.
So, apparently, we do not have free will: we merely make choices, make decisions, have intentions, make efforts, have goals, exercise willpower and these are all causal. The term “Alrighty then!” comes readily to mind.
One gets the feeling that Sam Harris is traipsing into what Vox Day noted about Harris’ modus operandi:
Unfortunately, Harris appears to have adopted Richard Dawkins’ favorite device of presenting a bait-and-switch definition in lieu of a logically substantive argument.
Harris continues:
…it is true to say that a person would have done otherwise if he had chosen to do otherwise…From the perspective of your conscious mind, you are no more responsible for the next thing you think (and therefore do) than you are for the fact that you were born into this world.
So, you chose to do or not do and these choices are causal yet, you are not responsible for your choices…or something. He seems to be hinging this part of the argument upon the “conscious mind” as opposed, apparently, to the unconscious mind that makes no choices but simply dances to thermodynamics’ tune.
He claims that:
…thoughts simply arise (what else could they do?) unauthored, and yet author to our actions.
But thoughts do not simply arise, they are products of previous thoughts, combinations of thoughts, etc. And they can also be authored such as when you purpose to take time to ponder something or other.
Basically, he concludes with:
…free will is nowhere to be found…Thoughts and intentions simply arise in the mind…the illusion of free will is itself an illusion.
Apparently, his view is that the unconscious mind has no free will and just spits out data based on neural reactions. Then our conscious mind sifts through this data and we make choices. How this is not free will is unclear.
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