Daniel Dennett

Cognitive Science American 1942 100 quotes

An influential philosopher and cognitive scientist known for his work on consciousness, free will, and the philosophy of mind from a naturalistic perspective.

Quotes by Daniel Dennett

The human mind is a product of evolution, not a divine creation.

Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life 1995

The only way to make progress is to challenge our assumptions.

Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking 2013

The world is not as it appears to be.

Consciousness Explained 1991

The only thing that is constant is change.

From Bacteria to Bach and Back: The Evolution of Minds 2017

We are all storytellers, and our stories shape our reality.

Consciousness Explained 1991

The best way to understand something is to try to explain it to someone else.

Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking 2013

The human brain is a marvel of engineering.

Consciousness Explained 1991

The only way to make sense of the world is to embrace its complexity.

From Bacteria to Bach and Back: The Evolution of Minds 2017

The future is not predetermined; it is created by our choices.

Elbow Room: The Varieties of Free Will Worth Wanting 1984

The only thing that limits us is our imagination.

Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking 2013

Consciousness is the most profound mystery that science has ever encountered.

Consciousness Explained 1991

The human brain is a wonderful example of a complex system.

Elbow Room 1984

Memes are the cultural analogue of genes.

Darwin's Dangerous Idea 1995

There is no such thing as a non-judgmental stance.

Breaking the Spell 2006

The secret of happiness is: Find something more important than you are, and dedicate your life to it.

Intuition Pumps 2013

We are all zombies; nobody has a soul.

Consciousness Explained 1991

Evolution is the creator of all life on Earth.

Darwin's Dangerous Idea 1995

Free will is an illusion, but a useful one.

Freedom Evolves 2003

Religion is a natural phenomenon, and we should study it as such.

Breaking the Spell 2006

The mind is the brain in action.

Brainstorms 1978