​Dennett Explained

Daniel Dennett
Interviewed by Brendan Fleig-Goldstein and Daniel A. Friedman

DOWNLOAD INTERVIEW (PDF)

keywords
altered states of consciousness, cognitive science,
​consciousness, philosophy, psychedelics

doi: 10.34700/7gkw-zh08

Abstract
Throughout his long career, Professor Daniel Dennett has been notable for bringing together the ideas of academic philosophy, workbench scientists, artificial intelligence pioneers, and even “cultish” intellectual figures like Julian Jaynes and J.J. Gibson. In this interview, Dennett discusses his philosophical roots, as well as his thoughts on Freud, predictive processing, psychedelics, consciousness, and ancient Athens. Dennett believes that philosophers have the ability to criticize and contribute to the science of the mind, and speaks to the virtues of cross-disciplinary glances and “hybrid vigor.” He believes that psychoactive drugs have potential scientific and therapeutic value. Experimenting with psychoactive substances, however, should be done within the proper settings, and not left to rogue agents.