Uploaded July 2009 | Updated September 2026, 5 hours ago
In this clip, Daniel Dennett discusses the notion of an "epistemic horizon," and argues that (contrary to popular belief) adopting a purely materialistic account of mind does not provide grounds for nihilism.
For Dennett, humans are biological devices that respond to the environment with rational, desirable courses of action. He believes that even if our brains are causally determined, it does not follow that we are not morally responsible for our behavior. Dennett argues that we base our decisions on context, gradually limiting our options as the situation becomes more specific. In the most specific circumstances (actual events), he suggests there is only one option left for us.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbow_Room
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Evolves
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compatibilism_and_incompatibilism
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laplace%27s_demon
The complete interview with Dennett can be found here:
http://www.hollanddoc.nl/dossiers/39221631/
Also, another interesting clip from the same documentary series can be found here:
youtube.com/watch?v=SJzqHnwNbUY
Music: "Poets Act" by Phillip Glass from "The Hours Soundtrack"
In this clip, Daniel Dennett discusses the notion of an "epistemic horizon," and argues that (contrary to popular belief) adopting a purely materialistic account of mind does not provide grounds for nihilism.
For Dennett, humans are biological devices that respond to the environment with rational, desirable courses of action. He believes that even if our brains are causally determined, it does not follow that we are not morally responsible for our behavior. Dennett argues that we base our decisions on context, gradually limiting our options as the situation becomes more specific. In the most specific circumstances (actual events), he suggests there is only one option left for us.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbow_Room
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Evolves
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compatibilism_and_incompatibilism
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laplace%27s_demon
The complete interview with Dennett can be found here:
http://www.hollanddoc.nl/dossiers/39221631/
Also, another interesting clip from the same documentary series can be found here:
youtube.com/watch?v=SJzqHnwNbUY
Music: "Poets Act" by Phillip Glass from "The Hours Soundtrack"
