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Birth
On March 28, 1942, in Boston, Massachusetts, the philosopher Daniel Clement Dennett was born. Although his ideas did not start in the womb, cognitive thought and speculation was something that Dennett seemed capable of and interested in as a child. Cultivated by his supporting parents, Dennett immersed himself in academic studies that developed into philosophical research, specifically philosophy of mind and language. -
Quine’s Influence
After enrolling in Harvard University in 1960, Dennett sought to challenge the existing ideas put into place by philosopher Willard Van Orman Quine. Quine regarded “human knowledge as one all-encompassing system of belief, which is accepted, rejected, or modified according to how well it accommodates and explains what is observed” (Sinclair). This was a concept that Dennett strictly refuted and would shape his career as a philosopher. -
Collaborative Work
Following his studies at Harvard, Dennett pursued his Doctorate in Philosophy at University of Oxford where he worked alongside a fellow philosopher known as Gilbert Ryle. Like Dennett, Ryle believed that certain concepts between physical and cognitive perception purposed by philosophers like Réne Descartes was incorrectly represented. This led to their collaboration towards Dennett’s first published book, titled "Content and Consciousness". -
"Content and Consciousness"
Published in 1969, "Content and Consciousness" focused on refuting the idea of dualism, which is a concept focused heavily on the debate against mind and body relations. Dualism “proposes that the mind controls the body, but that the body can also influence the otherwise rational mind, such as when people act out of passion” (Mcleod). In his book, Dennett argued that it displaced the concept of findings made through physical sciences and further evaluation of the mind. -
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The Illusion of Consciousness
Video demonstration of Daniel Dennett's concept of consciousness:
https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_dennett_the_illusion_of_consciousness?language=en#t-133372 -
Philosophical Community
With the publications of his books and articles, Dennett had forged his way as a pillar in the philosophy community. His contributions to conscious thought as well as his ideas purposed around religion, art, and scientific concepts brought him into the limelight as a highly regarded philosopher. In 1983 he began lecturing at Oxford which evolved into lectures across the globe dating up until the present day. -
"Darwin’s Dangerous Idea"
Continuing with the theme of philosophical ideas centered around mental functions, Dennett went on to publish several books highlighting his views on the inner workings of the mind and its interaction with the world. Once such book, "Darwin’s Dangerous Idea", explained how he perceived evolution, purposed by Charles Darwin, to be a key concept into the development of human understanding because it provided the process of critical thought and progression of the species. -
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Darwin’s Dangerous Idea
Video demonstration of Daniel Dennett's views towards evolution and "Darwin's Dangerous Idea":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1GEU81wQ90 -
Various Achievements
For his contribution to the scientific and philosophical community, Dennett has received many awards, titles, and acknowledgements. In 2004, he received the title of Humanist of the Year by the American Humanist Association, the A.P.A Barwise Prize, the Bertrand Russell Society Award, and the Academy of Achievement Society Award. Other notable awards include the Distinguished Fellow Award in 2009 and Award for Contribution to Neuroscience and Psychology in 2016. -
References
“Curriculum Vitae: Daniel C. Bennett.” Daniel C. Dennett : CV, ase.tufts.edu/cogstud/dennett/cv.html. “Daniel C. Bennett.” Daniel C. Dennett : Home, ase.tufts.edu/cogstud/dennett/. David Klinghoffer May 1, 2009 Intelligent Design. “Daniel Dennett: A Biography.” Discovery Institute, 5 July 2018, www.discovery.org/a/10301/. Dennett, Daniel. “Daniel Dennett: Autobiography (Part 1).” Philosophy Now: a Magazine of Ideas, 2008, philosophynow.org/issues/68/Daniel_Dennett_Autobiography_Part_1. -
References
Dennett, Daniel C. “Darwin's Dangerous Idea Free Summary by Daniel C. Dennett.” GetAbstract, Simon & Schuster, 9 Apr. 2009, www.getabstract.com/en/summary/darwins-dangerous-idea/5666. Foster, John. “Dennett's Rejection of Dualism.” Taylor & Francis, 29 Aug. 2008, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00201749308602309?journalCode=sinq20. Mcleod, Saul. “Mind Body Debate.” Mind Body Debate - Dualism vs Monism | Simply Psychology, 1 Jan. 1970, www.simplypsychology.org/mindbodydebate.html -
References
Muñoz-Suárez, Carlos, and Felipe De Brigard. “Content and Consciousness Revisited, with Replies by Daniel Dennett // Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews // University of Notre Dame.” Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, 12 Apr. 2016, ndpr.nd.edu/news/content-and-consciousness-revisited-with-replies-by-daniel-dennett/. Sinclair, Robert. “Willard Van Orman Quine: Philosophy of Science.” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, iep.utm.edu/quine-sc/. -
References
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Gilbert Ryle.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2 Oct. 2019, www.britannica.com/biography/Gilbert-Ryle.
