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cinchona's review against another edition
5.0
This is probably my favorite non-fiction book that I have ever read. I read it for the first time when I was 15 or so, and have probably read it a dozen times since. When I was a dumb highschooler with a passing interest in science who loved pop science books? Loved it. When I was getting my degree in computational neuroscience and looking for pioneers in the field? Loved it. Now, with a glass of red wine and a desire to wax philosophical with my friends? Love it.
In fact, I like it so much that I can scarcely tell whether it is really the best book ever, or whether Daniel C. Dennett's mind is organized so much like my own that it is just the best book ever...for me. And then I read it again and I DON'T EVEN CARE. Fifteen thousand stars.
In fact, I like it so much that I can scarcely tell whether it is really the best book ever, or whether Daniel C. Dennett's mind is organized so much like my own that it is just the best book ever...for me. And then I read it again and I DON'T EVEN CARE. Fifteen thousand stars.
davegri's review against another edition
5.0
Dennett sets himself an ambitious goal with the title "Consciousness Explained". This book is obviously not the be-all and end-all of explanations about this famously slippery subject, but it's an impressive attempt in the right direction. Dennett's writing is easy to follow, but by no means is this a superficial book. This book really digs into the subject of human consciousness, with all its nitty gritty details and confusing edge cases.
Dennett's approach here is courageous, while many philosophers sit around contemplating the inherent mysteriousness of the subject matter, reiterating why the hard problem is just so damn hard, Dennett takes a no-nonsense approach, carefully and systematically unpacking the tricky concepts that relate to the subjective-objective gap while clearing away muddled concepts such as qualia. Far from abstract philosophy Dennett firmly grounds his ideas in modern neuroscience.
Not many books have made me stop and think as much. Dennett manages to clarify a lot of confusion about the subject while offering surprisingly robust alternatives. This book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in neuroscience and/or philosophy of mind. Whether or not you agree with Dennett's ideas.
Dennett's approach here is courageous, while many philosophers sit around contemplating the inherent mysteriousness of the subject matter, reiterating why the hard problem is just so damn hard, Dennett takes a no-nonsense approach, carefully and systematically unpacking the tricky concepts that relate to the subjective-objective gap while clearing away muddled concepts such as qualia. Far from abstract philosophy Dennett firmly grounds his ideas in modern neuroscience.
Not many books have made me stop and think as much. Dennett manages to clarify a lot of confusion about the subject while offering surprisingly robust alternatives. This book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in neuroscience and/or philosophy of mind. Whether or not you agree with Dennett's ideas.
ratteno1's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
2.5
"Daniel Dennet is the only philosopher to write a 400 page book called "Consciousness Explained" and not once explain consciousness. The book should be called "Consciousness Explained Aways" -- One review I read. This man writes so elequently and makes such complex arguments that I find myself convinced and yet I actually have no idea what he thinks about consciousness... Nevertheless fascinating
yates9's review against another edition
5.0
Whether or not you agree with Dennet, this is one of the most satisfying philosophical romps across the land of consciousness investigation. His detailed thinking that often requires focused complete attention, and other less
often heard stories from many connected fields, blend into a book that is somewhete between an academic study synthesis of his work and an accessible popular science book.
I was transformed in my detailed view, would want to reread this with even more attention.
often heard stories from many connected fields, blend into a book that is somewhete between an academic study synthesis of his work and an accessible popular science book.
I was transformed in my detailed view, would want to reread this with even more attention.
bupdaddy's review against another edition
5.0
I have not fully accepted the author's claim (that he has explained consciousness), nor, obviously, his model for consciousness, but there is so much fascinating mind food in here that it's well worth five stars.
I guess this book has become a de rigeur foundational piece for anybody interested in what consciousness is, because he sets up a groundwork for discussing it, and he covers lots of things (like Descartes' consideration of the question), and the thought experiments provide wonderful fodder for at least making me consider what counts, and what doesn't, as consciousness.
Ultimately, I disagree with him. From a scientist's point of view, of course, a model of dualism is wrong - that is, the idea that there is a 'mind' separate from 'the brain' which is unmeasurable in any way - because the mind there is by definition set up to be unmeasurable. Why should some bit of food I eat, which is clearly not conscious, and has no 'mind' - suddenly get this property if it becomes digested and becomes some of the material in my brain?
Yes, there are plenty of real problems with dualism. That, however, doesn't mean his model is right. His model is what he calls 'the multiple draft model' and it's interesting. But after a few hundred pages of not saying consciousness is an illusion, he more or less says, yes, it's an illusion, alright, and we're all 'zombies' and there's nothing different between us and a (hypothetical) computer that had many layers of self-investigation.
But it seems to me the 'illusion' premise is easily struck down - by definition. An illusion is a misperception. Unlike the proverbial 'tree in the forest,' an illusion truly does not exist without an observer. An illusion requires an observer to misperceive something. So if consciousness is an illusion, who's it fooling? Whatever that is, is consciousness, even if it's a small thing.
Incidentally, The only place I noticed the age of this book is in his talking about how language is crucial in advanced 'consciousness' - and that therefore, non-humans cannot be said to be conscious. However, many animals are capable of rudimentary language. Incidentally to the incidentally, a section about language early in the book - and how memes live and mutate and spread and therefore evolve in the Darwinian sense - is fascinating, and made me a little smarter, I think, than I was before.
Anyway. This is a necessary read for anyone considering the nature of consciousness, and the puzzle of how millions of cells which act as a confederacy can achieve something so unified as conscious experience.
I guess this book has become a de rigeur foundational piece for anybody interested in what consciousness is, because he sets up a groundwork for discussing it, and he covers lots of things (like Descartes' consideration of the question), and the thought experiments provide wonderful fodder for at least making me consider what counts, and what doesn't, as consciousness.
Ultimately, I disagree with him. From a scientist's point of view, of course, a model of dualism is wrong - that is, the idea that there is a 'mind' separate from 'the brain' which is unmeasurable in any way - because the mind there is by definition set up to be unmeasurable. Why should some bit of food I eat, which is clearly not conscious, and has no 'mind' - suddenly get this property if it becomes digested and becomes some of the material in my brain?
Yes, there are plenty of real problems with dualism. That, however, doesn't mean his model is right. His model is what he calls 'the multiple draft model' and it's interesting. But after a few hundred pages of not saying consciousness is an illusion, he more or less says, yes, it's an illusion, alright, and we're all 'zombies' and there's nothing different between us and a (hypothetical) computer that had many layers of self-investigation.
But it seems to me the 'illusion' premise is easily struck down - by definition. An illusion is a misperception. Unlike the proverbial 'tree in the forest,' an illusion truly does not exist without an observer. An illusion requires an observer to misperceive something. So if consciousness is an illusion, who's it fooling? Whatever that is, is consciousness, even if it's a small thing.
Incidentally, The only place I noticed the age of this book is in his talking about how language is crucial in advanced 'consciousness' - and that therefore, non-humans cannot be said to be conscious. However, many animals are capable of rudimentary language. Incidentally to the incidentally, a section about language early in the book - and how memes live and mutate and spread and therefore evolve in the Darwinian sense - is fascinating, and made me a little smarter, I think, than I was before.
Anyway. This is a necessary read for anyone considering the nature of consciousness, and the puzzle of how millions of cells which act as a confederacy can achieve something so unified as conscious experience.
simpulacra's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting ideas that rely on a lot of assumptions and lean on a lot of French philosophy. I don't agree with a lot of his postulates, but the mental legwork is there. It's a cool concept, a neat book and pretty damn dense. Don't agree with Dennett, but that's alright. Still a good read.
sarthak1682's review against another edition
5.0
Quite an insightful Read!
Dennett does a fantastic Job at deflating the Idea of Consciousness and gives Clues on what to look for, something seemingly missing from Phil Of Mind at that Time. He uses Metaphors from Darwin’s and Turing’s Work and combines them effortlessly. Very refreshing to see a Philosopher giving testable Prediction in a Book, especially in a Field seemingly filled with a lot of Obscurantism. The Move to not use the popular Vocab and be rather flippant about it is a stroke of Genius.
I will reread it after going through “Brainstorms” and “Intentional Stance”.
Will definitely make notes.
Dennett does a fantastic Job at deflating the Idea of Consciousness and gives Clues on what to look for, something seemingly missing from Phil Of Mind at that Time. He uses Metaphors from Darwin’s and Turing’s Work and combines them effortlessly. Very refreshing to see a Philosopher giving testable Prediction in a Book, especially in a Field seemingly filled with a lot of Obscurantism. The Move to not use the popular Vocab and be rather flippant about it is a stroke of Genius.
I will reread it after going through “Brainstorms” and “Intentional Stance”.
Will definitely make notes.
briandice's review against another edition
5.0
It wasn't easy, and many times I felt like Homer Simpson trying to learn how to market a bowling alley (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEqxerBIAqI), but getting through this book and tackling the weighty subject matter was well worth the investment. And I'm not kidding about the Homer reference: Dennett posits so many amazing points based upon areas of thought of which I was hopelessly clueless. I would have to set this book down and do some research to just get a baseline to follow his explanations.
For any of my Goodreads friends that want to really explore the big "I", and delve into the what of our conscious selves, I couldn't recommend this more. But the recommendation comes with a warning: if you give the book its due, don't skim passages / sections and really work yourself to understand what Dennett is trying to say, you could come away from this book with a changed view on yourself, your fellow humans and this wonderful, crazy brain of ours.
For any of my Goodreads friends that want to really explore the big "I", and delve into the what of our conscious selves, I couldn't recommend this more. But the recommendation comes with a warning: if you give the book its due, don't skim passages / sections and really work yourself to understand what Dennett is trying to say, you could come away from this book with a changed view on yourself, your fellow humans and this wonderful, crazy brain of ours.