Daniel Dennett is the Austin B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy and Codirector of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University. His research has centered on philosophy of science and philosophy of mind, with particular interests in cognitive science and evolutionary biology. He is a steadfast and vocal atheist and secularist. His many books have been read widely both in and out of the academy. They include Consciousness Explained (1992), Darwin 's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life ( l 996), and Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon (2006). We spoke with Professor Dennett in June 2010.