Daniel Dennett
Philosophy of mind, evolutionary biology and cognitive science.

Dan Dennett

Harvard University (A.B.) Hertford College, Oxford (D.Phil.)
Jean Nicod Prize (2001) Mind & Brain Prize (2011)

Philosophical Essays on Mind and Psychology
Consciousness Explained

Mistakes are not just opportunities for learning; they are, in an important sense, the only opportunity for learning or making something truly new.

The chief trick to making good mistakes is not to hide them – especially not from yourself.

Instead of turning away in denial when you make a mistake, you should become a connoisseur of your own mistakes, turning them over in your mind as if they were works of art, which in a way they are.

The fundamental reaction to any mistake ought to be this: “Well, I won’t do that again!”

















Rapoport’s Rules

Just how charitable are you supposed to be when criticizing the views of an opponent? The best antidote I know for the tendency to caricature one’s opponent is a list of rules promulgated by the social psychologist and game theorist Anatol Rapoport (creator of the winning Tit-for-Tat strategy in Robert Axelrod’s legendary prisoner’s dilemma tournament).

How to compose a successful critical commentary:

1. You should attempt to re-express your target’s position so clearly, vividly, and fairly that your target says, “Thanks, I wish I’d thought of putting it that way.”
2. You should list any points of agreement (especially if they are not matters of general or widespread agreement).
3. You should mention anything that you have learned from your target.
4. Only then are you permitted to say so much as a word of rebuttal or criticism.