Brainstorms: Philosophical Essays on Mind and Psychology (Paperback)

by Daniel C. Dennett (Author) "I wish to examine the concept of a system whose behavior can be-at least sometimes-explained and predicted by relying on ascriptions to the system of..." (more)
Key Phrases: Law of Effect, Santa Claus, The Concept of Mind (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This collection of 17 essays by the author offers a comprehensive theory of mind, encompassing traditional issues of consciousness and free will. Using careful arguments and ingenious thought-experiments, the author exposes familiar preconceptions and hobbling institutions. The essays are grouped into four sections: Intentional Explanation and Attributions of Mentality; The Nature of Theory in Psychology; Objects of Consciousness and the Nature of Experience; and Free Will and Personhood.

About the Author
Daniel C. Dennett is University Professor and Director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 378 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press (July 13, 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262540371
• ISBN-13: 978-0262540377
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #576,298 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars see below, April 3, 2000

By	skeezer "skeezer" (Salem, Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

I must give credit to Dennett for trying very hard to make his ideas clear, because he does a better job than most philosophers, but the book is still a bit boring.

5 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars very interesting, April 1, 2000

By	skeezer "skeezer" (Salem, Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

The ideas Dennett raises are (inevitably) very interesting, as we are talking about the brain, so there is lot of material here to keep you thinking. A lot of the arguments he makes don't exactly make sense (i.e. comparisons that don't apply), but his is a voice worth considering.