The multiple drafts model

Abstract

The phrase “Multiple Drafts Model” (MDM) refers to Daniel Dennett’s alternative to a Cartesian model of mind and, in many cases, serves as a synecdoche for Dennett’s general theory of consciousness. According to Dennett, clinging to the Cartesian conception of mind involves unwarranted assumptions and precludes a properly naturalistic understanding of mind, including experience. Providing an alternative, on the other hand, opens up the possibility of genuinely explaining consciousness.