| Daniel Dennett Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 11 in |
| Weight | 85 kg |
| Date of Birth | March 28, 1942 |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Spouse | Susan Bell |
Daniel Dennett is a celebrated American philosopher, writer, and cognitive scientist who is among the most distinguished proponents of the 21st-century New Atheism movement. Often considered one of the most brilliant minds of his generation, Dennett has written notable books like Consciousness Explained (1991), Darwin’s Dangerous Idea (1995), Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon (2006), I’ve Been Thinking (2023), Intuition Pumps And Other Tools for Thinking (2013), The Mind’s I: Fantasies and Reflections On Self and Soul (1981), The Intentional Stance (1987), The Four Horsemen: The Conversation That Sparked an Atheist Revolution (2019), etc.
Born Name
Daniel Clement Dennett III
Nick Name
Daniel
Sun Sign
Aries
Born Place
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Nationality
Education
Dennett studied at the Phillips Exeter Academy and graduated in 1959. He was enrolled at Wesleyan University for 1 year, but he transferred to Harvard University and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy in 1963.
He then attended Hertford College, University of Oxford, and completed his Doctorate in Philosophy in 1965 while studying under Gilbert Ryle. He wrote the dissertation titled ‘The Mind and the Brain: Introspective Description in the Light of Neurological Findings; Intentionality’.
Occupation
Philosopher, Writer, Cognitive Scientist
Family
- Father – Daniel Clement Dennett Jr. (Historian, Diplomat)
- Mother – Ruth Marjorie Leck (Editor, Teacher)
- Siblings – Charlotte Dennett (Sister) (Investigative Journalist)
Build
Slim
Height
5 ft 11 in or 180.5 cm
Weight
85 kg or 187.5 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Daniel has dated –
- Susan Bell (1962-Present) – Dennett tied the knot with Susan Bell on June 8, 1962. The couple is blessed with 2 children, a daughter named Andrea Elizabeth Dennett and a son named Peter Nathaniel Dennett.
Race / Ethnicity
White
Hair Color
Black
However, his hair has turned ‘Gray’ due to his advancing age.
Eye Color
Hazel
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
He sports a long beard.
Religion
Atheism
Daniel Dennett Favorite Things
- Books – Word and Object by Willard Van Orman Quine (1960), The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins (1976), I Am a Strange Loop by Douglas Hofstadter (2007), Beyond Concepts: Unicepts, Language, and Natural Information by Ruth Millikan (2017), From Darwin to Derrida Selfish Genes, Social Selves, and the Meanings of Life by David Haig (2020)
Source – FiveBooks.com
Daniel Dennett Facts
- He, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, and Richard Dawkins are collectively referred to as the Four Horsemen of the Non-Apocalypse for spearheading the New Atheism movement.
- In 1985, Dennett co-founded the Curricular Software Studio at Tufts University. He has helped design exhibits on computers for world-renowned museums like the Smithsonian Institution, Computer Museum in Boston, and Museum of Science in Boston.
- He held a teaching position at the University of California from 1965 to 1971. Following this, he settled into a decades-long teaching position at Tufts University.
- The American Humanist Association named Dennett as the ‘2004 Humanist of the Year’.
- He was awarded the Erasmus Prize, which is among the highest recognitions in Europe, in 2012 for making significant contributions to European culture, society, or social science by translating the cultural significance of science and technology to a broader audience.
- His hobbies include farming, sailing, sculptures, and scuba diving.
Featured Image by David Orban / Wikimedia / CC BY 2.0 DEED
