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Full Idea
We are descended from robots, and composed of robots, and all the intentionality we enjoy is derived from the more fundamental intentionality of billions of crude intentional systems.
Gist of Idea
We descend from robots, and our intentionality is composed of billions of crude intentional systems
Source
Daniel C. Dennett (Kinds of Minds [1996], Ch.2)
Book Ref
Dennett,Daniel C.: 'Kinds of Minds' [Phoenix 1997], p.73
A Reaction
A more grand view of intentionality (such as Searle's) seems more attractive than this, but the crucial fact about Dennett is that he takes the implications of evolution much more seriously than other philosophers. He's probably right.
| 7371 | All functionalism is 'homuncular', of one grain size or another [Dennett] |
| 4875 | We descend from robots, and our intentionality is composed of billions of crude intentional systems [Dennett] |
| 5498 | Mind is a set of hierarchical 'homunculi', which are made up in turn from subcomponents [Fodor, by Lycan] |
| 3188 | Homuncular functionalism (e.g. Freud) could be based on simpler mechanical processes [Rey] |