The Ignorant Mind

The thesis deals with the phenomenon we call ‘consciousness’. In it, three ways of looking at consciousness – what it is, where it comes from – are discussed. The first is the way René Descartes saw the phenomenon, and the influence he has had on our thinking about it. Next is Daniel Dennett’s way of explaining consciousness, using his work Consciousness Explained to explain his ‘Multiple Drafts’ model. Third is Alva Noë’s view of consciousness, which focuses mainly on interaction and meaning. Descartes teaches us the dualistic way of thinking, which I have adapted in the thesis; with it, I make a connection between Dennett’s brain-focused consciousness and Noë’s interaction-focused consciousness. The three views are, in the end, a way that shows how consciousness is not something otherworldly – it is, in short, a coping mechanism for the brain to simplify the world and interpreting it as efficient as possible.