Our decisions are effectively made before we become aware of having made them

Epiphenomenalism Epiphenomenalism is the view that one's actions are not caused by one's thoughts: that we are really just passive spectators under the illusion that we control our own behaviour. The idea appeals to those who want to accept that physics explains the causes of all events, including the behaviour of human beings, while still regarding consciousness as something over and above this merely mechanical process. The idea is lent some (much-needed) plausibility by Libet's famous experiments which seem to show that decisions are effectively made before we become aware of having made them: and by many others which demonstrate people's remarkable tendency to invent reasons, and accept responsibility for, behaviour which was actually caused by a post-hypnotic suggestion, a brain malfunction, or other factors they were not consciously aware of. Strictly, of course, speech is another form of behaviour, so a rigorous epiphenomenalist would actually  have to hold that these rationalisations and confabulations were also nothing to do with the person in themselves. source: http://www.consciousentities.com/deadends.htm#epiphenomenalism