Daniel Dennett (28 March 1942 - Present)

By Walter Pels

  • 1978 - "One of the most important contributions to thinking about thinking."

    1978 - "One of the most important contributions to thinking about thinking."
    Daniel Dennett publishes Brainstorms: Philosophical Essays on Mind and Psychology which is a series of essays focused on “neo-functionalist” theories of mind. Topics covered range from the nature of experience to free will. Overall, Brainstorms expound upon an important niche that falls within epistemology's purview.
    Dennett, Daniel. Brainstorms: Philosophical Essays on Mind and Psychology. Bradford Books, 1978.

  • 1995 - "Losing our minds to Darwin."

    1995 - "Losing our minds to Darwin."
    Darwin's Dangerous Idea was a book that examined Darwin's Theory of Evolution through the lens of several perspectives. First, looking at the Theory and its relationship with the existence of God. Then, by presenting another look at the Theory and biology. Finally, the book delves into the Theory and what it means in regard to morality and the mind.
    Dennett, Daniel. Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life. Simon & Schuster, 1995.

  • 2006 - Becoming one of the "four horseman of new atheism."

    2006 - Becoming one of the "four horseman of new atheism."
    Already on the religious right’s radar after Darwin’s Dangerous Idea, Dennett inflamed them even further by publishing Breaking the Spell. In the midst of the Global War on Terror being in full stride, with many of the pious believing this to be a war between opposing religions, Dennett publishes a book that looks at the phenomenon of religious belief through a scientific philosopher’s eyes.
    Dennett, Daniel. Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon. Penguin, 2006

  • 2017 - A lifetime of thought distilled into a book.

    2017 - A lifetime of thought distilled into a book.
    After half a century of pondering and publishing around the question of how is a mind, Dennett releases a book that argues about the origin and essence of consciousness. From Bacteria to Bach and Back is the product of a lifetime of thought regarding the Theory of Mind.
    Dennett, Daniel. From Bacteria to Bach and Back: The Evolution of Minds. W. W. Norton Company, 2017.

  • 2017 - To consider what is consciousness, one must consider what is not.

    2017 - To consider what is consciousness, one must consider what is not.
    Throughout Dennett's career, his area of study and longevity have ensured that he has paralleled the advances of artificial intelligence since its inception. He is an expert in the mind, and he frequently delves into whether a mind can be created.
    Why Robots Won't Rule The World