Daniel Dennett

Daniel Dennett

Daniel Dennett, a professor at Tufts University, is an American philosopher and cognitive scientist, probably best known for his work on consciousness. He’s somebody who’s immersed in contemporary neuroscience and, in his books, has a superb knack for finding memorable images to communicate his theories about the way consciousness works. He’s also known for his writing on free will. Dennett is a prominent atheist, one of the ‘four horsemen’ (along with Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins).

Dennett is a tireless critic of sloppy thinking and even if you didn’t agree with him, he’s always entertaining to read. He is a lively writer and really crafts his books, another reason his books have been recommended many, many times on Five Books.

Books by Daniel Dennett

Interviews where books by Daniel Dennett were recommended

Best Books on the Neuroscience of Consciousness, recommended by Anil Seth

Nearly every human has a sense of self, a feeling that we are located in a body that’s looking out at the world and experiencing it over the course of a lifetime. Some people even think of it as a soul or other nonphysical reality that is yet somehow connected to the blood and bones that make up our bodies. How things seem, however, is quite often an unreliable guide to how things are, says neuroscientist Anil Seth. Here he recommends five key books that led him to his own understanding of consciousness, and explores why it is that what is likely an illusion can be so utterly convincing.

The best books on How To Think (Like a Philosopher), recommended by Julian Baggini

We all have opinions about things and sometimes quite strong ones. When it comes to our values and politics we also tend to think we’re right. That’s why examining how we think is so important, argues philosopher Julian Baggini. That’s something philosophy can help with, if it’s done well. Here he recommends five books that shed some light on how philosophers think, when they’re thinking at their best.

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