Daniel Dennett

Daniel Dennett
Dmitry Rozhkov · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Daniel Dennett
Caption	Dennett in 2012
Birth date	28 March 1942
Birth place	Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Alma mater	Harvard University (BA), University of Oxford (DPhil)
School tradition	Analytic philosophy, Philosophy of mind, Cognitive science
Institutions	Tufts University, University of California, Santa Barbara
Main interests	Philosophy of mind, Philosophy of science, Cognitive science, Free will, Evolutionary biology
Notable ideas	Intentional stance, Multiple drafts model, Darwin's Dangerous Idea, Heterophenomenology
Influences	Gilbert Ryle, W.V.O. Quine, Alan Turing, Charles Darwin
Influenced	Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Patricia Churchland
Awards	Jean Nicod Prize (2001), Erasmus Prize (2012)

Daniel Dennett is an American philosopher, writer, and cognitive scientist whose research centers on the philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, and philosophy of biology. A professor at Tufts University for over five decades, he is a leading figure associated with the New Atheism movement and is known for integrating insights from evolutionary theory and cognitive science into philosophical debates. Dennett's prolific career includes influential books like Consciousness Explained and Darwin's Dangerous Idea, which challenge traditional views on free will, consciousness, and the implications of natural selection.

Life and career

Daniel Clement Dennett III was born in Boston and spent part of his childhood in Lebanon after his father, a historian, died in a plane crash. He completed his undergraduate degree at Harvard University, where he studied under W.V.O. Quine. Dennett earned his Doctor of Philosophy from Oxford as a member of Hertford College, writing his dissertation under the supervision of Gilbert Ryle. In 1971, he joined the faculty at Tufts University, where he co-founded the Center for Cognitive Studies and held the position of University Professor. He has also been a visiting professor at institutions like the University of California, Santa Barbara and the École Normale Supérieure.

Philosophical work

Dennett's philosophical work is characterized by a naturalistic approach, seeking to explain mental phenomena through evolutionary biology and empirical science. He developed the intentional stance, a strategy for predicting behavior by treating an entity as a rational agent with beliefs and desires. In his multiple drafts model of consciousness, presented in Consciousness Explained, he argues against a central Cartesian theater in the brain. His concept of heterophenomenology proposes a method for studying consciousness from a third-person perspective. In Darwin's Dangerous Idea, Dennett defends the theory of evolution by natural selection as a universal "acid" that dissolves traditional philosophical and religious concepts, aligning with thinkers like Richard Dawkins.

Views and public engagement

Dennett is a prominent public intellectual and a vocal advocate for secularism and scientific skepticism. He is often grouped with other New Atheism figures like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and the late Christopher Hitchens, collectively known as the "Four Horsemen of the Non-Apocalypse." He has written extensively on religion, arguing in works like Breaking the Spell that it is a natural phenomenon subject to scientific scrutiny. Dennett is a compatibilist regarding free will, arguing that it is compatible with determinism and essential for moral responsibility. He has engaged in public debates with theologians and scientists, and is a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Awards and honors

Throughout his career, Dennett has received numerous accolades for his contributions to philosophy and science. He was awarded the prestigious Jean Nicod Prize in 2001, delivering a series of lectures in Paris. In 2012, he received the Erasmus Prize for his significant impact on European culture and society. Dennett is a two-time recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship and has been honored with several honorary doctorates from institutions such as the University of Oslo and the University of Edinburgh. He is an elected member of both the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Selected bibliography

Dennett is the author and editor of over twenty books and hundreds of scholarly articles. His major works include Content and Consciousness (1969), which laid the groundwork for his later theories. The Intentional Stance (1987) further developed his philosophy of mind. The bestselling Consciousness Explained (1991) sparked widespread debate in the fields of philosophy and neuroscience. Darwin's Dangerous Idea (1995) was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Other notable titles include Freedom Evolves (2003), Breaking the Spell (2006), and From Bacteria to Bach and Back (2017).

Category:American philosophers Category:Tufts University faculty Category:1942 births