Daniel Dennett

Daniel Dennett, a renowned philosopher and expert on consciousness, delves into a fascinating blend of topics. He discusses the connection between human perception and the complexities of artificial intelligence, emphasizing the challenges AI faces in common sense reasoning. The conversation also explores the nature of consciousness as a spectrum, the importance of understanding animal minds, and the implications of free will in human society. Dennett's accessible insights challenge traditional views, making philosophy relatable and thought-provoking.

In a captivating conversation, Dr. Daniel Dennett, a philosopher and cognitive scientist, tackles the complexities of consciousness, ethics, and the intersection of science and religion. They discuss 'aboutness' and intentionality in shaping moral frameworks, explore how emotions influence ethical decision-making, and critique the evolution from religious to secular morals. Additionally, they highlight the pressing dangers of AI, likening its potential threat to nuclear arms, while emphasizing the need for academic freedom and trust in society.

Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, and Daniel Dennett discuss the rise and fall of New Atheism, questioning its direction and impact. They explore the aggressive nature of the movement and its use of mockery and ridicule. The podcast also highlights the negative effects of this approach, leading to a resurgence in belief in God and a reconsideration of Christianity by secular thinkers. The flaws in the New Atheist argument and the disappointment with Richard Dawkins are also discussed.

In a thought-provoking discussion, philosopher Daniel Dennett delves into the implications of AI creating 'counterfeit people' and the ethical dangers it poses for society. He discusses his 'Two Black Boxes' thought experiment and critiques the Chinese Room Argument. The conversation navigates the complexities of consciousness, autonomy, and the intentional stance in AI, highlighting the risks of misinformation and the need for safeguards. Dennett also reflects on mentorship and the role of competition in advancing knowledge, emphasizing the importance of philosophical discourse.

Daniel Dennett, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Tufts University, joins Richard Dawkins, a renowned biologist and author, for a thrilling conversation. They dive into the evolution of memes and its relevance in today's digital landscape. The pair humorously unpack misunderstandings in biology while tackling the complexities of language evolution. They also address the perilous implications of AI technologies and deepfakes, encouraging a critical examination of our intuition and the intersection of science and philosophy.

Daniel Dennett, a leading philosopher and cognitive scientist, discusses the influence of Gilbert Ryle, the possibility of conscious machines, the compatibility of free will with determinism, and the complexities of free will and responsibility in old age.

Sean Carroll, Daniel Dennett, and Steven Pinker discuss AI, parapsychology, panpsychism, and physics violations. They delve into debunking claims of parapsychology, explore artificial intelligence, discuss the ethical implications of counterfeit individuals created by large language models, and contemplate the evolution of jobs in the technological age. The conversation touches on the intersection of AI, creativity, and physics, evolution, chaos, decision-making, teleonomy, and emergence in consciousness.

Philosopher Daniel Dennett and neurobiologist Robert Sapolsky debate whether human beings have free will. Sapolsky argues that free will is an illusion, while Dennett believes it is compatible with scientific knowledge. They discuss factors influencing decision-making, the role of biology and environment in shaping behavior, the link between free will and genetic attributes, responsibility, and the concept of being 'wired wrong' or 'wired right'.

Daniel Dennett is one of the world's most original and provocative thinkers. A philosopher and cognitive scientist, he is known as one of the 'Four Horseman of New Atheism' along with Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and the late Christopher Hitchens. In 2013 he came to Intelligence Squared to share the insights he has acquired over his 40-year career into the nature of how we think, decide and act. Dennett revealed his favourite thinking tools, or 'intuition pumps', that he and others have developed for addressing life's most fundamental questions. As well as taking a fresh look at familiar moves - Occam's Razor, reductio ad absurdum - he discussed new cognitive solutions designed for the most treacherous subject matter: evolution, meaning, consciousness and free will.—We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared..Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Renowned philosopher Daniel Dennett discusses free will, human consciousness, ethics, and AI concerns in a deep dive interview. Known for challenging beliefs about the mind, he critiques Sam Harris's view on free will and explores the evolution of humor, music, and language. The conversation also touches on the origins of life, AI intelligence, memory outsourcing, bioengineering ethics, and modern parenting challenges.