Daniel Dennett is an American philosopher and cognitive scientist whose research centers on the philosophy of mind, philosophy of science and philosophy of biology. He is currently the Co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies and a University Professor at Tufts University. Dennett is referred to as one of the “Four Horsemen of New Atheism”, along with Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and the late Christopher Hitchens.
Why the West Rules–for Now: The Patterns of History, and What They Reveal About the Future
“If you liked Jared Diamond’s Guns Germs and Steel, you’ll like this, on many of the same topics, but with more fascinating detail and argument.”
The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves
“A brilliant look at a naturalistic view of civilization, its treasures and problems. I don’t agree with all of it, but it is surprisingly clear and well-argued.”
The Ancestor’s Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution
“A tour de force of exposition and explanation of the evolution of life on our planet, starting with us human beings and working back through all our “concestors”–our common ancestors with chimpanzees, monkeys, other mammals, reptiles, . . . All the way back to bacteria. Stunning examples, and great explanations on every page.”
The Really Hard Problem: Meaning in a Material World
“A look at ethics from the point of view of naturalism. What can a sober, scientifically minded thinker make of right and wrong, good and evil, and the meaning of life?”
The Company of Strangers: A Natural History of Economic Life
“An economic history of civilization, with an evolutionary perspective, explaining the emergence of trade, money, firms, law, banks, and all the rest of the economic world, and also explaining the fragility of our economic system if we don’t understand its foundations and dynamics. Lucid and fascinating.”
