The Intentional Stance
Last updated October 31, 2026
Daniel Dennett develops his best-known idea: that we explain and predict the behavior of people, animals and machines by treating them as rational agents with beliefs and desires. He calls this strategy the intentional stance. Through a series of linked essays, each followed by new reflections, he defends the stance against critics, applies it to questions about animal minds and evolution, and argues that it is a legitimate and useful way to understand minds.
Buy on Amazon