Kinds Of Minds: Toward An Understanding Of Consciousness (Science Masters Series)

To the question, "Where does human consciousness come from?", somebody (I think it may have been William James) answered, "From animal consciousness." Unless one accepts some non-naturalistic explanation, I think that has to be right, and Dennett, who is a philosopher not a biologist, goes squarely up that Darwinian road. Not enough is known to make the whole journey without any gaps, but his account of evolutionary development from Darwinian creatures, to Skinnerian, to Popperian, to Gregorian ones, and of how those transitions might have occurred, is extremely suggestive about the major aspects of the route that has culminated (so far) in the human kind of mind. Exciting stuff, no doubt about it. The book is very well-written, but not an easy read in a few sections, where steps in the argument are more suggested than explicitly stated. I think that's to be expected at the frontier of any science -- and everything about this subject matter lies at the ragged edge of knowledge and speculation. That problem no doubt is exacerbated by the space constraints that this series of short science books imposes. But the overall explanatory approach and framework are clear and persuasive. Dennett's recommendations for further reading are especially good. Highly recommended.

I could feel my brain stretching as I read this book. It is philosophical but readable. The main focus of this book is, as implied by the title, the notion that there are several qualitatively different ways that organisms adapt to their environments -- it isn't simply a matter of one organism being "more intelligent" than another. He presents a succession of clear models, increasing in sophistication, for how an organism's behavior can be modulated to improve its chances of reproductive success. I had never thought about these qualitatively different "levels of sophistication," but they make perfect sense to me -- kind of an "Aha!" experience. I liked it.

As usual, Daniel C. Dennett brings precision to a topic often muddied by wishful thinking, unsupported suppositions and entrenched predisposition. His insights are keen and this book makes a wonderful and accessible introduction to both his books on consciousness (e.g., Consciousness Explained) and his books on evolution (e.g., Darwin's Dangerous Idea).

commenting on one only aspect of this book may be misguiding as it is so rich of theories, arguments and scientific information. To summarize I just say that Dennet seems like the Freud of conciousness.

If you aren't familiar with the works of Daniel Dennett, this is the starting point of choice. This American philosopher's ability to pose thought-provoking questions is unmatched. In this collection, the focus is on "what is a mind?" How do we define "the mind" and are humans the sole possessors of it? Dennett is not only deft at posing these posers, he presents the questions and his explanations with philosophy's finest prose and wit. His other advantage over his fellow cognitive scientists is his use of Darwin's "dangerous idea," evolution by natural selection. As products of that process, humans are not exempt from its rules. That framework raises the issue of whether other creatures can be said to have "minds." Dennett explores this issue with skillfully chosen examples. These are part of the list of "kinds of minds."Dennett is famous among philosophers for devising the concept of "the intentional stance." The intentional stance is interpreting the behaviour of an entity." The range of entities is extensive - a simple thermostat has predictable behaviour - when the room is cool, the device closes a circuit turning on the heat. According to Dennett, the simplest creatures exhibited similar "robotic" behaviour, but as life evolved, more complex patterns developed. Dennett argues that "adopting the intentional stance is not just a good idea but the key to unraveling the mysteries of the mind - all kinds of minds." In his view, intentional systems have progressed along the course of evolution in ever complex steps. Humans, with the development of language, have achieved the highest level of cognitive abilities.Dennett addresses what many philosophers call the "mind-body" question. Those who feel the mind and body must be considered separately will face some challenging assertions here. Perhaps more importantly, those who may not feel disposed to read philosophy, will find much stimulate thinking about who they really are. Dennett keeps his presentation clearly formulated and easily readable. Quick, simple answers to questions about thinking are not Dennett's style. This is a slim tome, but the few pages are packed with rigorously conceived concepts. The words flow easily, but the content will bear repeated readings. As Dennett reminds us, there are countless questions about what a mind is, with many answers remaining to be derived. This book provides the starting point for that quest.