Why people recommend it
Consciousness Explained is a prominent philosophical work by Daniel C. Dennett that attempts to demystify the human mind through a rigorous materialist framework. On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed Dennett's early contributions to the field, noting that the author was among the first to boldly tackle the subject in print, though Tyson also wryly observed that the continued publication of books sharing this ambitious title suggests humanity still lacks a complete understanding of the phenomenon. In a separate episode of the same show, Tyson reiterated this sentiment while exploring the complexities of consciousness with fellow experts. On Modern Wisdom, guest Cory Allen told Chris Williamson about discovering Dennett's work as a teenager in the late 1990s, emphasizing that reading the volume left a profound and lasting impact on his intellectual development. Across these diverse conversations, the book remains a benchmark for debates surrounding cognition and philosophy, valued both as a groundbreaking academic text and as a transformative reading experience that challenges individuals to reconsider the nature of subjective awareness.
Who recommended it
- Neil deGrasse Tyson Discussed
- Cory Allen Discussed
Neil deGrasse Tyson — 1 mention
“Of course Daniel D was first out of the box to declare with his one of his early books called conscious explained that was the title of one of his books”
Cory Allen — 1 mention
“uh i've been his book consciousness explained i got in the late 90s i think and that was a big impact on me whenever i was a teenager”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 1
“So, the fact that the bookshelves are filled with people writing titles like 'Consciousness Explained', for example, doesn't that mean we don't really understand consciousness?”