I feel I should acknowledge the death of Daniel Dennett, a philosopher who had the rare gift of communicating his interesting ideas very well. Even now, many years later and although I disagree with some significant bits, I would recommend Consciousness Explained as a great book on the subject (read mine too, though!) I think Dennett’s faith in computation was over-optimistic, and although I basically agreed with him about his atheism I didn’t share the crusading enthusiasm. In the nicest possible way, I really hope he’s not in Heaven (or the other place), because that would annoy him quite considerably.

An excellent writer and a clear and original thinker – we cannot afford to lose too many of those!

To me Dennett’s passing aptly symbolises the end of the era in which the topic of consciousness was hotly and enthusiastically debated, with many sure it would soon be cracked, and ambitious thinkers thinking they might win fame by publishing the Answer. It seems to me that things have quietened down now, and we don’t expect a big breakthrough so soon. But it was fun while it lasted…