Daniel Dennett, one of the world's most original and provocative thinkers, takes readers on a profound, illuminating and highly entertaining philosophical journey as he reveals a collection of his favorite thinking tools, or "intuition pumps", that he and others have developed for addressing life's most fundamental questions. A philosophy professor offers exercises and tools to stretch the mind, offering new ways to consider, discuss, and argue positions on dangerous subject matter including evolution, the meaning of life, and free will.

A dozen general thinking tools -- Tools for thinking about meaning or content -- An interlude about computers -- More tools about meaning -- Tools for thinking about evolution -- Tools for thinking about consciousness -- Tools for thinking about free will -- What is it like to be a philosopher? -- Use the tools, try harder -- What got left out.