Freedom Evolves

Weaving a richly detailed narrative, Dennett explains in a series of strikingly original arguments - drawing upon evolutionary biology, cognitive neuroscience, economics, and philosophy - that far from being an enemy of traditional explorations of freedom, morality, and meaning, the evolutionary perspective can be an indispensable ally. In Freedom Evolves, Dennett seeks to place ethics on the foundation it deserves: a realistic, naturalistic, potentially unified vision of our place in nature.. Can there be freedom and free will in a deterministic world? Renowned philosopher Daniel Dennett emphatically answers "yes!" Using an array of provocative formulations, Dennett sets out to show how we alone among the animals have evolved minds that give us free will and morality

Amazon Customer said Brilliant in parts, but more popular science than philosophy. The existence in many species of the ability to solve a wide range of problems, and to take action on the basis of the solution, is evidence that this ability is conducive to survival. Thie foregoing holds even if the world is perfectly deterministic at the atomic level. At the same time, the capacity to take action on the basis of internal reckonings is a plausible definition of free will. Therefore, free will in the given sense is compatibl. Weight Watcher said In a nutshell. To those who are short on time (and money) here are the In a nutshell To those who are short on time (and money) here are the 309 pages: In each CONCRETE situation/moment determinism DEFINES an ONLY ONE POSSIBLE outcome (human action, thought, emotion, decision including)- the one that did, is going or will realize. But IF the situation would have been DIFFERENT (even SLIGHTLY) deterministic outcome could or should be different also.Thus when she looks back in time and does NOT (or don't want) notice the differ. 09 pages: In each CONCRETE situation/moment determinism DEFINES an ONLY ONE POSSIBLE outcome (human action, thought, emotion, decision including)- the one that did, is going or will realize. But IF the situation would have been DIFFERENT (even SLIGHTLY) deterministic outcome could or should be different also.Thus when she looks back in time and does NOT (or don't want) notice the differ. "Five Stars" according to Critic Critter. Dennet is brilliant, as usual.