The title is misleading. The article does not reject existence of willpower, just discusses a different theories about it.
Addictive substances show that in some cases chemicals can affect willpower.
It could still can be explained that the brain processes the pleasure gained from heroin as more important than the possibility of early death. However, different drugs have different addiction-forming potential which could indicate at least partial chemical influence.
“Misleading” is accurate I guess. I guess I’m trying to reframe “willpower” into just being a side effect caused by information processing. Not a system in itself.
That does not oppose experiments with chemicals etc. Just offer a different explanation for how they work.
Addictive substances show that in some cases chemicals can affect willpower.
It could still can be explained that the brain processes the pleasure gained from heroin as more important than the possibility of early death. However, different drugs have different addiction-forming potential which could indicate at least partial chemical influence.