Daniel Dennett | "How, When, and Why Can We Trust Our Brains?"

  

Dennett, Daniel. "How, When, and Why Can We Trust Our Brains?" (Johns Hopkins Natural Philosophy Forum Distinguished Lecture, 2023). 6 Feb. 2023. Video. YouTube (Hopkins Natural Philosophy Forum) 17 Feb. 2023.* (Information processing, Cognition, Consciousness, Agency, Language, Memes, Knowledge, Truth, Comprehension, Chomsky, Borges' Library of Babel, Reflexivity and metalanguage, Human exceptionalism)

         https://youtu.be/32u12zjgJww

         2024

Perhaps the last great lecture by Daniel Dennett. Here's a summary in one of the commentaries on YouTube:

@yosivin1

hace 1 mes

This is a great summary of Dennett's talk and the audience questions. Here are some key takeaways and points of discussion: 

 

Dennett's Main Arguments: Rejecting the Cartesian Theater: Dennett argues against the idea of a central "homunculus" in the brain that observes and interprets sensory information. He believes this is a mistaken analogy and that consciousness arises from the complex interaction of many simpler processes in the brain. 

 

The Importance of the First-Person Plural: Dennett emphasizes the collaborative nature of understanding and knowledge. He suggests that focusing on "we" rather than "I" when considering consciousness is more fruitful. 

 

Brains as "Termite Colonies": Dennett likens the brain to a termite colony, where individual neurons are like mindless agents that work together to create complex structures. He argues that intelligence emerges from this collective activity, rather than from a single, central intelligence. 

 

The Power of Cultural Evolution: Dennett emphasizes the role of language and cultural evolution in developing our cognitive tools. He argues that these tools, which are passed down through generations, allow us to build upon the knowledge and understanding of those who came before us. 

 

"Anything You Can Do I Can Do Meta": Dennett uses this phrase to describe the unique capacity of humans to think about their own thinking, a process that allows us to constantly refine and improve our understanding of the world. 

 

Audience Questions and Dennett's Responses: 

 

The Role of Language: One question focused on whether Dennett was arguing for a greater study of natural language semantics. Dennett acknowledged the importance of language, but argued that understanding how language works is not the sole answer to the mystery of consciousness. 

 

The "Little Somethings" in the Brain: Another question addressed the seeming contradiction between rejecting a central homunculus while still acknowledging that neurons act as "agents." Dennett explained that neurons are agents in a very limited sense, similar to the agents of a computer program, and that this limited agency is what allows for the emergence of more complex cognitive abilities. 

 

Emergence and Domain Jumping: One question explored the differences in emergence between a community of people using language and the complex interactions of neurons. Dennett argued that both systems are causal and that the difference lies in the level of complexity and the nature of the information being processed. He suggested that understanding how brain activity gives rise to semantic meaning is the "hard question" he is working on. 

 

The Limits of Language: Another question addressed the inherent limitations of language in capturing the richness of our conscious experience. Dennett acknowledged that language is not a perfect tool for describing consciousness, but argued that it is a valuable tool for understanding and communicating our experiences. He emphasized the importance of metaphors and the collaborative nature of understanding through language. 

 

Overall, Dennett's talk provided a compelling argument for a "bottom-up" view of consciousness, emphasizing the collective activity of simpler components and the role of cultural evolution in shaping our cognitive abilities. He also highlighted the limitations of our current understanding and the importance of continued exploration and collaboration.

 

 

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