Dennett

Daniel Dennett

By Hogan883

  • Born

    Born in Boston Massachusetts

  • Education

    Dennett received his Doctor of Philosophy in philosophy at the University of Oxford http://ase.tufts.edu/cogstud/dennett/

  • Book "Breaking The Spell"

    In the book Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon (Viking 2006) Dennett examines what role belief plays in everyday life. He discusses the evolution of organized religion from folk beliefs to what it is today. His view is not anti-religious, but one of critical thought and skeptical inquiry. In the book he suggests religion should be studied rather than practiced. http://ase.tufts.edu/cogstud/dennett/

  • New Atheists

    The Term New Atheists was coined in 2006 to describe writers of early 21st century books promoting Atheism. These authors include Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens. The term New Atheists was born of journalistic commentary based on the content of their books. They share beliefs in metaphysical, epistemological,and ethical components. Dennett is the more reserved of the four. https://www.iep.utm.edu/n-atheis/

  • The Four Horsemen of New Atheism. This is, unfortunately, an extremely long video, but it perfectly displays Dennett's views and thoughts on philosophy and religion.

    Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Sam Harris have a sit down discussion. This recorded discussion became known as "The Four Horsemen". In the video they discuss the definition of Atheism, and the legitimacy of criticizing religion.
    Dennett starts off by pointing out that he was extremely careful to write his book in a non-offensive manner. The other three are quite a bit less careful. This is a point of consternation for them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7IHU28aR2E

  • Authority and Skepticism

    An article, written by Dennett, published in the September/October volume of the Skeptical Enquirer shows, what I believe, is an example of what Merton calls "organized skepticism". Dennett describes looking up information in a trusted source whenever there was an instance of factual disagreement. https://www.csicop.org/si/show/authority_and_skepticism Godfrey-Smith, Peter. Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003.

  • Daniel Dennett's Science of the Soul

    This is a profile piece written by Joshua Rothman for the New Yorker. It's quite a long read, but it details many aspects of Dennett's thought process. It's not only a candid look at his philosophical thought, but also a look into his personal life. It's a good look at the man behind the thoughts. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/27/daniel-dennetts-science-of-the-soul?currentPage=all