EPISODE 71: Daniel Dennett & Reflections on Beirut

A special Independence Day episode. We're joined by Professor Daniel Dennett for Episode 71 of The Beirut Banyan, and we go back to the early years of Lebanon's independence from French rule and childhood memories from the mid-1940s of Bliss Street and the banyan trees of AUB's campus. Professor Dennett shares stories of his father's assassination, his return to visit his mother in the 1960s and his most recent visits these past eight years including a semester lecturing at AUB. Professor Dennett is a philosopher and cognitive scientist, and co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University. The books referenced in the podcast are 'Breaking the Spell': https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Spell-Religion-Natural-Phenomenon/dp/0143038338 written by Professor Dennett, and 'Inside Jokes': https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/inside-jokes co-written by Daniel Dennett, Matthew Hurley and Reginald Adams, Jr. If you're enjoying these episodes, help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing to our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan And subscribe to our podcast from your preferred podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram: thebeirutbanyan Twitter: beirut_banyan Facebook: The Beirut Banyan Website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Graphics by Sara Tarhini.