This is Philosophy Bites with me Nigel Warburton and me David Edmonds.

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Self-control is an essential quality for everyone.

There's evidence to people who are good at

self-control are good, are successful at life.

Philosophically, the issue of self-control plays into the free will debate.

If we can't control ourselves, in what sense are we free?

Pat Churchland is a philosopher famous for incorporating into her writings and into her ideas

developments in neuroscience. She's happy to call herself a neurophilosifer.

Appetite wetted? Can't control yourself any longer?

Unable to defer gratification. Here she is.

Pat Churchland, welcome to Philosophy Bites.

Oh, it's super to be here. I love being in London.

The topic we're going to focus on is neuroscience and self-control.

What do you understand by self-control?

Usually as a good working definition we have sort of four things in mind that if someone or an animal can

display deferred gratification that is deferring smaller value now for something

greater later if they can maintain a goal despite distraction,

if they can suppress impulses that are inappropriate, if you're a predator for example, you mustn't rush at your prey too soon

and if you can cancel an action once started when you see that following through with the

...