Daniel Dennett has died

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Eminent American philosopher Daniel Dennett has passed.

[Nearly Sane]

I liked Breaking the Spell, but Consciousness Explained didn't, and Darwin's Dangerous Idea was too evangelical for me.


https://www.msn.com/en-GB/entertainment/music/daniel-dennett-fiery-atheist-philosopher-who-saw-human-brains-as-programmes--obituary/ar-AA1njsKE?ocid=sapphireappshare

[bluehillside Retd.]

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/apr/21/daniel-dennett-obituary

[SteveH]

Eminent American philosopher Daniel Dennett has passed.

Passed what - his A-levels? Drop the twee American euphemism - he's died, as you said in the thread title.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Passed what - his A-levels? Drop the twee American euphemism - he's died, as you said in the thread title.

He's passed Steve, like the parade.

[jeremyp]

Passed what - his A-levels? Drop the twee American euphemism - he's died, as you said in the thread title.

A kidney stone.

It's OK though, I believe there is a computer somewhere with an almost exact copy of his mind in it.

https://www.lehigh.edu/~mhb0/Dennett-WhereAmI.pdf

[Nearly Sane]

Dawkins on Dennett.


https://youtu.be/wFQ4v9BZD8s?si=tGnRFqD-cPID3HCk

[Alan Burns]

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/apr/21/daniel-dennett-obituary

Reading this obituary I was struck by the monumental efforts he employed to try to explain how conscious intent can arise from the physical workings of a material brain.  The irony being that any physical explanation would render the concept of conscious intent to be an illusion because physical reactions are not driven by intent, but by unavoidable reactions to previous events.  Instead of trying to explain the impossible, why not accept the simple truth that conscious intent is a reality involving more than physical reactions alone can ever achieve.