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Here is a summary of the lecture by Daniel C. Dennett:

Dennett argues that free will is a complex and valuable capacity that humans have, which allows them to control themselves and their actions. He rejects the idea that free will is incompatible with determinism or indeterminism, and instead proposes that it depends on having a flexible and intelligent brain that can learn from experience, anticipate consequences, and resist temptations. He also claims that free will is not a mysterious or magical phenomenon, but a natural and gradual result of evolution.

Dennett explores the concepts of autonomy, consciousness, and freedom in relation to free will. He defines autonomy as the ability to act according to one's own reasons and values, without being coerced or manipulated by external forces. He distinguishes between different degrees of autonomy, depending on how well one can reflect on one's own motives and goals, and how well one can resist influences that would undermine one's autonomy.

He defines consciousness as the subjective experience of being aware of oneself and one's surroundings. He argues that consciousness is not a prerequisite for free will, but rather an enhancement of it. He suggests that consciousness enables us to have more complex and sophisticated forms of self-control, such as moral reasoning, planning, creativity, and humor. He also contends that consciousness is not a single thing or property, but a collection of cognitive abilities that vary in degree and quality across different species and individuals.

He defines freedom as the opportunity to exercise one's autonomy in various domains of life. He acknowledges that freedom is limited by physical laws, biological constraints, social norms, moral obligations, psychological factors, and environmental conditions. However, he maintains that freedom is not an all-or-nothing concept, but a matter of degree and context. He argues that we can increase our freedom by expanding our knowledge, improving our skills, developing our virtues, creating new options, overcoming obstacles,

and cooperating with others.

He concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding and protecting our free will as a precious human achievement¹²⁵⁶.

Source: Conversation with Bing, 2/16/2023(1) The Amherst Lecture In Philosophy: Lecture 14. https://amherstlecture.org/dennett2019/index.html Accessed 2/16/2023.

(2) Autonomy, Consciousness, and Freedom – Amherst Lecture. https://amherstlecture.org/tracking.php?w=dennett2019/dennett2019_ALP.pdf Accessed 2/16/2023.

(3) The Amherst Lecture In Philosophy: Lecture 14. https://bing.com/search?q=summary+of+autonomy%2c+consciousness%2c+and+freedom+daniel+c.+dennett Accessed 2/16/2023.

(4) The Amherst Lecture In Philosophy: Lecture 14. https://amherstlecture.org/dennett2019/index.html Accessed 2/16/2023.

(5) Freedom Evolves – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Evolves Accessed 2/16/2023.

(6) Daniel C. Dennett : Recent Work – Tufts University. https://ase.tufts.edu/cogstud/dennett/recent.html Accessed 2/16/2023.

(7) Content and Consciousness Revisited, with Replies by Daniel Dennett .... https://ndpr.nd.edu/reviews/content-and-consciousness-revisited-with-replies-by-daniel-dennett/ Accessed 2/16/2023.

(8) The Amherst Lecture In Philosophy: Lecture 14. https://www.amherstlecture.org/dennett2019/ Accessed 2/16/2023.

(9) Autonomy, Consciousness, and Freedom – Amherst Lecture. https://amherstlecture.org/tracking.php?w=dennett2019/dennett2019_ALP.pdf Accessed 2/16/2023.

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