Daniel Clement Dennett III was an American philosopher, writer, and cognitive scientist whose research centered on the philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, and philosophy of biology, particularly as these fields relate to evolutionary biology and cognitive science.

He was the co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies and the Austin B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy at Tufts University in Massachusetts. Dennett was a member of the editorial board for The Rutherford Journal and a co-founder of The Clergy Project.

A vocal atheist and secularist, Dennett was described as "one of the most widely read and debated American philosophers". He was also referred to as one of the "Four Horsemen" of New Atheism, alongside Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens.