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Daniel C. Dennett was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Ruth Marjorie and Daniel Clement Dennett Jr. His upbringing, influenced by his father's covert counter-intelligence work during World War II, laid the foundation for his later philosophical inquiries into the nature of mind and consciousness.
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Daniel Dennett was an American philosopher and cognitive scientist.
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Dennett's academic journey led him through Phillips Exeter Academy, Harvard University, and the University of Oxford, where he obtained his DPhil in philosophy. Mentored by notable philosophers like Willard Van Orman Quine and Gilbert Ryle, Dennett's early studies laid the groundwork for his future contributions to the philosophy of mind.
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In his book "Brainstorms", Dennett introduced a two-stage model of decision making, challenging libertarian views on free will. He argued that decision making involves both deterministic and indeterministic processes, providing a nuanced understanding of human agency (Big Think). -
Dennett's seminal work "Consciousness Explained" proposed a theory of consciousness grounded in evolutionary biology (Ouellette). He introduced the multiple drafts model, suggesting that consciousness arises from parallel, multitrack processes in the brain. -
Dennett was critical of postmodernist philosophy, particularly its skepticism towards truth and evidence. He argued that postmodernism hindered intellectual progress by dismissing the concept of objective truth, leading to a proliferation of unfalsifiable claims and a disregard for empirical evidence (Ouellette).
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Dennett advocated for the concept of memetics as a valuable tool for understanding cultural evolution. Drawing parallels between genes and memes, he explored how ideas, behaviors, and cultural practices replicate and evolve in human societies (Kandell).
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In his book "From Bacteria to Bach and Back", Dennett addressed the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and human cognition. He argued against the notion of imminent superintelligence surpassing human capabilities, emphasizing the limitations of current AI technologies and the complexity of human cognition (Veit). -
Daniel C. Dennett passed away at the age of 82 due to interstitial lung disease (Kandell). His death marked the end of an era in contemporary philosophy, leaving behind a rich legacy of groundbreaking ideas and influential writings.