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Daniel Dennett
Born March 28th 1942, Daniel Dennett is philosopher and cognitive scientist who has completed comprehensive research on evolution, cognition and philosophy of science. He has also written mainly critically acclaimed books such as "Consciousness Explained", "Darwin's Dangerous Idea", and "Breaking the Spell". Though his work he was able to acquire many prestigious awards such as the Jean Nicod prize, Erasmus and the Mind and Brain prize.
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Consciousness Explained
This Is Daniels first game changer when it comes to his written works. This book focuses on the idea that consciousness is rooted in the interaction of the physical world and many cognitive processes. When he refers to cognitive process he is meaning everything that provides motivation and compulsion in the min. To add to that we siphon out most all short term information to run on our base assumptions. Basically he is a compatibilist, that determinism and free will exist simultaneously. -
Darwin's Dangerous Idea
Dennett's second master work is less on of his own ideas and more so an addition to the work of Darwin. In this book he hopes to show that some of the underlying truths presented have serious implications. First off being the idea that design does not need a designer, which is found in the process of natural selection. Meaning if god did not create man then human design needs no divine origin. That design can emerge from algorithmic order and does not necessarily need a pre-existing mind. -
Breaking the Spell
Daniel Dennett is often referred to as one of the four horsemen of atheism and it is no surprise with his third book that I will discuss called "Breaking the Spell". The main point is pretty easy to present. He argues that we need to break through the stigma that religion is beyond the use of scientific inquiry. Meaning we need to take a more scientific approach to understanding the utility and impact of religious belief.
Britannica, E. History and Society. "Daniel C. Dennett". 6 Jun. 2023