Ideas from 'Daniel Dennett on himself' by Daniel C. Dennett [1994], by Theme Structure
[found in 'A Companion to the Philosophy of Mind' (ed/tr Guttenplan,Samuel) [Blackwell 1995,0-631-19996-9]].
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unexpand these ideas
17. Mind and Body / B. Behaviourism / 3. Intentional Stance
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The 'intentional stance' is a way of interpreting an entity by assuming it is rational and self-aware
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Full Idea:
The 'intentional stance' is the tactic of interpreting an entity by adopting the presupposition that it is an approximation of the ideal of an optimally designed (i.e. rational) self-regarding agent.
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From:
Daniel C. Dennett (Daniel Dennett on himself [1994], p.239)
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A reaction:
This is Dennett's 'instrumentalism', a descendant of behaviourism, which strikes me as a pragmatist's evasion of the ontological problems of mind which should interest philosophers
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18. Thought / A. Modes of Thought / 4. Folk Psychology
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Like the 'centre of gravity', desires and beliefs are abstract concepts with no actual existence
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Full Idea:
Like such abstracta as centres of gravity and parallelograms of force, the beliefs and desires posited by the highest intentional stance have no independent and concrete existence.
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From:
Daniel C. Dennett (Daniel Dennett on himself [1994], p.239)
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A reaction:
I don't see why we shouldn't one day have a physical account of the distinctive brain events involved in a belief or a desire
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18. Thought / C. Content / 9. Conceptual Role Semantics
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The nature of content is entirely based on its functional role
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Full Idea:
All attributions of content are founded on an appreciation of the functional roles of the items in question.
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From:
Daniel C. Dennett (Daniel Dennett on himself [1994], p.239)
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A reaction:
This seems wrong to me. How can anything's nature be its function? It must have intrinsic characteristics in order to have the function. This is an evasion.
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 5. Education / b. Education principles
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Learning is evolution in the brain
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Full Idea:
Learning is evolution in the brain.
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From:
Daniel C. Dennett (Daniel Dennett on himself [1994], p.238)
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A reaction:
This is a rather non-conscious, associationist view, connected to Dawkins' idea of 'memes'. It seems at least partially correct.
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27. Natural Reality / G. Biology / 1. Biology
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Biology is a type of engineering, not a search for laws of nature
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Full Idea:
Biology is not a science like physics, in which one should strive to find 'laws of nature', but a species of engineering.
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From:
Daniel C. Dennett (Daniel Dennett on himself [1994], p.239)
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A reaction:
Yes. This is also true of chemistry, which has always struck me as minitiarised car mechanics.
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