"A MAN IS GUILTY OF UNPARDONABLE ARROGANCE WHO CONCLUDES, BECAUSE AN ARGUMENT HAS ESCAPED HIS OWN INVESTIGATION, THAT THEREFORE IT DOES NOT REALLY EXIST."--DAVID HUME. i learned a lot about contemporary philosophy of mind in america and about dennett himself by reading this book. that the former is worthless because the latter is respected. the most difficult lesson for most readers is that a contemporary reputation means nothing.