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Birth
Daniel C Dennett III is born in Massachusetts. His father was a scholar and diplomat who worked for the Office of Strategic Services and his mother was a teacher and an editor. -
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Education
In 1963 Dennett received a Bachelors of Science in Philosophy from Harvard University before pursuing a Doctorate in Philosophy at the University of Oxford. -
Content and Consciousness
In 1969 Dennett published his first book 'Content and Consciousness' based on his doctoral thesis work under Gilbert Ryle at Oxford University. He also moved to the United States from overseas to teach at the University of California during this time. -
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Cognitive Studies at Tufts University
Dennett took up professorship at Tufts University in Massachusetts in 1971. He was later appointed the director over the university's Center for Cognitive Studies and the Austin B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy. Here, he performed studies on artificial intelligence, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and worked on solutions to the 'mind-body problem'. -
Academy of Arts and Sciences
Dennett was elected to the academy of Arts and Sciences in 1987. -
The Intentional Stance
Dennett published 'The Intentional Stance' which outlined his theory of intentions in human interaction.
Dennett, Daniel Clement. Intentional Stance. MIT Press, 1987. -
Consciousness Explained
Dennett published 'Consciousness Explained". One of two efforts to connect natural sciences and evolution to cognitive thinking and brain development.
Dennett, Daniel Clement, and Paul Weiner. Consciousness Explained. 1991. -
Darwin's Dangerous Idea
Dennett published 'Darwin's Dangerous Idea' which looked critically at the effect of Darwin's theory of evolution on the brain and the mind.
Dennett, D. C. Darwins Dangerous Idea Evolution and the Meanings of Life. Simon & Schuster, 1996. -
Kinds of Minds
Dennett Published 'Kinds of Minds' which explores philosophy, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence and the possibilities that may be ahead.
Dennett, Daniel Clement. Kinds of Minds: toward an Understanding of Cosciousness. Basic Books, 1996. -
Brainchild: Essays on Designing Minds
Dennett Published 'Brainchild: Essays on Designing Minds' which outlines his philosophy on the mind, artificial intelligence, and cognitive thinking.
Dennett, Daniel. Brainchild: Essays on Designing the Minds. 1998. -
Sweet Dreams: Philosophical Obstacles to a Science of Consciousness
Dennett published 'Sweet Dreams: Philosophical Obstacles to a Science of Consciousness' - a revisitation of his earlier theories of consciousness where he accounts for empirical advances, challenges, changes, and revisions since his earlier works. Dennett, Daniel Clement. Sweet Dreams: Philosophical Obstacles to a Science of Consciousness. MIT, 2006. -
Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon
Dennett published the highly controversial piece 'Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon' where he analysed the development of religious thought in society and applied evolutionary principles to the subject.
Dennett, Daniel Clement. Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon. 2006. -
Neuroscience and Philosophy: Brain, Mind, and Language
Dennett published 'Neuroscience and Philosophy: Brain, Mind, and Language', which explains in collaboration with philosopher John Searle, philosopher Peter Hacker, and Neuroscientist Maxwell Bennett the difficulties in applying linguistics and actions to the brain
Bennett, Maxwell R., et al. Neuroscience and Philosophy: Brain, Mind, and Language. Columbia Univ. Press, 2010. -
Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking
Dennet Published 'Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking", which explores thought experiments and the ways we rationalize thinking.
Intuition Pumps
Dennett, Daniel C. Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking. Penguin Books, 2014.