This is an important question, because religious people often paint atheists as heartless emotionless people, who can’t appreciate the beauty of a sunset or painting, and who are, because of their absence of belief. So here’s Dennett’s take on what might one day replace religion.

Dennet begins his talk presenting some scenerios about the future of religion. He looks at religion from highly optimistic point of view.

Dennett suggests that religion is the source of great art, moral teamwork etc. In other words, it’s not so easy to banish the effects of religion on culture and tradition.

Later he states that we are not lovers of God but lovers of truth and introduces Ockham’s broom, the idea that sweeps inconvenient facts under the carpet.