Daniel Dennett

Daniel Dennett's Opinions

Computers Do Gödellian arguments refute a computational model of the mind? Disagree ...even if mathematicians are superb recognizers of mathematical truth, and even if there is no algorithm, practical or otherwise, for recognizing mathematical truth, it does not follow that the power of mathematicians to recognize mathematical truth is not entirely explicable in terms of their brains executing an algorithm. Edit Pitches 29 Sep 1989    Source Could a computer ever be conscious? Agree The best reason for believing that robots might some day become conscious is that we human beings are conscious, and we are a sort of robot ourselves. That is, we are extraordinarily complex self-controlling, self-sustaining physical mechanisms, designed over the eons by natural selection, and operating according to the same well-understood principles that govern all the other physical processes in living things... Edit Pitches 14 Apr 1994    Source Artificial Intelligence Is the unconscious philosophical zombie possible? Disagree We are all susceptible to the Zombic Hunch, but if we are to credit it, we need a good argument, since the case has been made that it is a persistent cognitive illusion and nothing more. I have found no good arguments, and plenty of bad ones. [The intuition many philosophers have] is the effect of some serious misdirection that has bedeviled communication in cognitive science in recent years. Edit Pitches 28 Nov 1999    Source Cognition Can reductionist methods help explain consciousness? Agree We are quite certain that a naturalistic, mechanistic explanation of consciousness is not just possible; it is fast becoming actual. It will just take a lot of hard work of the sort that has been going on in biology all century, and in cognitive science for the last half century. Edit Pitches 28 Nov 1999    Source

Science Is free will an illusion? Disagree Situation-action machines are built with a bunch of rules that say, "If in situation X, do A," "If in situation B, do Z," [etc.]. A choice machine [looks] at the world [and] says, "If I did this, what would happen? If I did that, what would happen? ... It builds up an anticipation of what the likely outcome of one action or another would be, and then chooses on the basis of how much that outcome is valued or disvalued. They're both machines, but [the latter] is much more free than the other. Edit Pitches 01 May 2003    Source Do ghosts exist? Disagree The time has come for us brights to come out of the closet. What is a bright? A bright is a person with a naturalist as opposed to a supernaturalist world view. We brights don't believe in ghosts or elves or the Easter Bunny — or God. We disagree about many things, and hold a variety of views about morality, politics and the meaning of life, but we share a disbelief in black magic — and life after death. The Association Pitch   The Daring Truth Pitch   Edit Pitches 12 Jun 2003    Source Religion Do we have an immaterial soul? Disagree There is no privileged center, no soul, no place where it all comes together—aside from the brain itself. ... I have come to realize over the years that the hidden agenda for most people concerned about consciousness and the brain (and evolution, and artificial intelligence) is a worry that unless there is a bit of us that is somehow different, and mysteriously insulated from the material world, we can’t have free will—and then life will have no meaning. The Armchair Psychologist Pitch   Edit Pitches 18 Aug 2008    Source Should atheists directly challenge religious beliefs? Agree I listen to all these complaints about rudeness and intemperateness, and the opinion that I come to is that there is no polite way of asking somebody: have you considered the possibility that your entire life has been devoted to a delusion? But that’s a good question to ask. Of course we should ask that question and of course it’s going to offend people. Tough. The Nature is Nasty Pitch   Edit Pitches 22 Jan 2010    Source Would the world be better off without the Catholic Church? Disagree I’m quite outspoken about my atheism, but I’m also outspoken about my belief that we don’t want to encourage the extinction of religion. We want to encourage its evolution into more benign forms. ... [Atheists want] an opportunity to join with people in a morally meaningful activity. I think that we can take a lot of lessons from religions, which are brilliantly designed to bring people together in just that way, with art and music and ritual, a beautiful building, induction ceremonies. Edit Pitches 11 Apr 2010    Source

Comparisons with Other Experts and Influencers

The similarity between Daniel Dennett and each expert and influencer is calculated by looking at how the same questions were answered. These figures are used to calculate conforming, nonconforming, and projected opinions. The accuracy of the analysis depends on Daniel Dennett's coverage, which grows with the number of their opinions entered into TakeOnIt.

Conforming Opinions

Daniel Dennett's conforming opinions are opinions that align with the group of experts and influencers Daniel Dennett typically agrees with.

Projected Opinions

Daniel Dennett's projected opinions are opinions Daniel Dennett is expected to have if their opinions align with the experts and influencers that they typically agree with.