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Birth
Daniel Dennett was born in Massachusetts US on 28 March 1942 ("Daniel Dennett"). -
Receives BA in Philosophy
Daniel Dennett received his "degree in Bachelors of Arts in philosophy from the Harvard University in 1963" ("Daniel Dennett"). -
Receives Ph.D in Philosophy
In 1965, Daniel Dennett received his Ph.D. in Philosophy ("Daniel Dennett"). -
Publishes Content and Consciousness
In 1969, Daniel Dennett published his book Content and Consciousness, based on his doctoral thesis, which discussed the nature of consciousness ("American Philosopher"). -
Publishes Elbow Room
In 1984 Dennett published his book Elbow Room: The varieties of Free Will Worth Wanting, in which he argues against the "commonsense" version of free will, but in favor of compatibilism: "the theory that free will is compatible with determinism" ("Daniel Dennet"; Simkulet). Dennett on Free Will -
Publishes Consciousness Explained
In 1991, Daniel Dennett published his book Consciousness Explained, which he "provided a comprehensive analysis on the physical and cognitive makeup of the human brain, and how the physical and cognitive process work to arouse the consciousness"; he also introduced his "multiple drafts" model of consciousness ("Daniel Dennett"). -
Multiple Draft Model of Conciousness Video
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Works on AI at MIT
Starting in 1993, Daniel Dennett took part in work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in which a team "attempted to construct an intelligent, and perhaps even conscious, robot called Cog" ("American Philosopher"). Dennet on Work on AI
Dennett on Work on AI Video on Cog the Robot
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Publishes Darwin's Dagerious Idea
In 1995 Daniel Dennett published his book Darwin's Dangerous Idea, considered by some to be his best work, in which he attempted to explain how the brain, mind, and consciousness could have come about as a result of Darwinian evolution by natural selection ("Daniel Dennett"; "American Philosopher"). In 1996 it was "awarded the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for general non-fiction" ("Daniel Dennett"). -
Humanist of the Year
"In 2004, the American Humanist Association presented him with the title of the Humanist of the Year" ("Daniel Dennett"). -
Publishes Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon
In 2006 Dennett published his book Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon, in which he attempted to explain religious belief as a product of the evolution of social behavior ("American Philosopher"). He has become an outspoken contemporary critic of religion and has come into alignment with other prominent "new atheists" Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris, coming to be known as "the four horsemen of the counter-apocalypse" ("American Philosopher"). -
Contributions
Much of Dennett's contributions to science and philosophy have been his works on neuroscience, cognitive philosophy, and consciousness ("American Philosopher"). He has argued that "only by being informed by science could one have a productive philosophical debate about the mind and find a solution to the mind-body problem" ("American Philosopher"). Much of his work has aimed to understand the connection between the physical nature of the brain and consciousness ("American Philosopher").
