Darwin's Dangerous Idea

Introduction

A book of 1995 for general readers. Dennett presents Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection as an algorithm: a mindless, mechanical procedure that can produce design without a designer. Like a “universal acid”, it eats through traditional ideas of meaning, mind and morality. Dennett contrasts “cranes”, mechanisms that build complexity from below, with “skyhooks”, miracles from above. He sharply criticises Stephen Jay Gould, whose emphasis on chance and constraints he sees as a retreat from Darwinism, and discusses memes and the evolution of ethics. Gould replied in 1997 with equal sharpness, calling Dennett’s position “Darwinian fundamentalism”.

Connections

Builds on

• On the Origin of Species1859 · Charles Darwin

More works by Daniel Dennett

• 1987The Intentional Stance
• 1991Consciousness Explained