Daniel Dennett
American philosopher of mind and cognitive scientist (1942 to 2024), co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University; author of Consciousness Explained, Darwin's Dangerous Idea and Breaking the Spell.
Daniel Dennett did not write this page. ppll compiled it from their own words, each linked to the source. Is this you? · Report a mistake
What they believe
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The brain is not a well-organized hierarchical control system but much more like anarchy with some elements of democracy
We're beginning to come to grips with the idea that your brain is not this well-organized hierarchical control system where everything is in order, a very dramatic vision of bureaucracy. In fact, it's much more like anarchy with some elements of democracy.
edge.orgSaid 8 Jan 2013This on korrents
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No religion holds its members to the high standards of moral responsibility that secular science and medicine do
In other words, whereas religions may serve a benign purpose by letting many people feel comfortable with the level of morality they themselves can attain, no religion holds its members to the high standards of moral responsibility that the secular world of science and medicine does!
edge.orgSaid 2 Nov 2006This on korrents
The bold line is korrents’ wording; the quote is theirs. These 2: what they wrote before what they said aloud, one per source, newest first.
Beliefs
Korrents What they believe 8 beliefs — each backed by an exact quote.
Each is a — compiled by korrents.com, not by them: the one-line wordings are korrents', the quotes are theirs.
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The brain is not a well-organized hierarchical control system but much more like anarchy with some elements of democracy
We're beginning to come to grips with the idea that your brain is not this well-organized hierarchical control system where everything is in order, a very dramatic vision of bureaucracy. In fact, it's much more like anarchy with some elements of democracy.
The Normal Well-Tempered Mind (Edge) Said 8 Jan 2013
A free-wheeling, anarchic neural organization may be the secret of human creativity, at the price of susceptibility to mental illness
As soon as that happens, you have room for cooperation to create alliances, and I suspect that a more free-wheeling, anarchic organization is the secret of our greater capacities of creativity, imagination, thinking outside the box and all that, and the price we pay for it is our susceptibility to obsessions, mental illnesses, delusions and smaller problems.
The Normal Well-Tempered Mind (Edge) Said 8 Jan 2013
Civilization may be becoming hyper-fragile through dependence on technologies that are not as reliable as they should be
I am quite concerned that we're becoming hyper-fragile as a civilization, and we're becoming so dependent on technologies that are not as reliable as they should be, that have so many conditions that have to be met for them to work, that we may specialize ourselves into some very serious jams.
The Normal Well-Tempered Mind (Edge) Said 8 Jan 2013
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Most of the regularities in culture are not treasures
Most of the regularities in culture are not treasures. It's not all opera and science and fortifications and buildings and ships.
The Normal Well-Tempered Mind (Edge) Said 8 Jan 2013
No religion holds its members to the high standards of moral responsibility that secular science and medicine do
In other words, whereas religions may serve a benign purpose by letting many people feel comfortable with the level of morality they themselves can attain, no religion holds its members to the high standards of moral responsibility that the secular world of science and medicine does!
Thank Goodness! (Edge) Said 2 Nov 2006
Open-ended rational criticism, imperfect as it is, is the secret of the success of science and medicine
Moreover, this open-ended rational criticism, imperfect as it is, is the secret of the astounding success of these human enterprises.
Thank Goodness! (Edge) Said 2 Nov 2006
There are solid grounds for believing that intercessory prayer simply does not work
For another, we now have quite solid grounds (e.g., the recently released Benson study at Harvard) for believing that intercessory prayer simply doesn't work.
Thank Goodness! (Edge) Said 2 Nov 2006
Religious people can be asked to live up to the same moral standards as secular people in science and medicine
In the long run, I think religious people can be asked to live up to the same moral standards as secular people in science and medicine.
Thank Goodness! (Edge) Said 2 Nov 2006
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