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Daniel Dennett (28 March 1942-Present)
Daniel Dennett wrote "Brainstorms", which presented a two-stage model for free. In his model when an agent (person) is faced with a decision 1) “a consideration generator…produces a series of considerations.” He may keep some or throw some out. 2) Then those considerations that are selected by the agent, then figure in the reasoning process, ultimately serve as predictors and explicators of the agent’s final decision.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBrSdlOhIx4 -
Daniel Dennett (28 March 1942-Present)
Daniel Dennett theorizes in his book “Consciousness Explained” that the brain and how we perceive our surroundings doesn’t happen in one central place or all at once. The brain exists as "bundle of semi-independent agencies" or a multiple drafts model. One event is perceived on multiple levels by each sensory organ, different parts of the brain, different emotions and they create multiple versions of the event. Consciousness isn’t a final destination. Pre and post consciousness are an illusion. -
Daniel Dennett (28 March 1942-Present)
Dennett worked on a project at MIT to make a Humaniod Robot called Cog. It would start with an artificial infancy intellegence and gradually gain knowledge through interactions with the outside world. However, he has stated he doesn’t agree with giving consciousness and free will to robots. He thinks making smart tools is good enough but there is no reason to give smart tools reasoning and It’s not responsible. “You can unplug it any time you want. And we should keep it that way.” -
Daniel Dennett (28 March 1942-Present)
Dennett published “Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon”. In this book he explains why religious belief is the artefact of evolution of social behaviors. It was his attempt to get people to look at their need for religion differently and study that need. His was one of four theories from a group of philosophers that came to be known as the Four Horsemen.
